Trade unions in Uganda

As trade unions grew in the late 1950s and early 1960s, workers from outside Uganda became involved. This was especially the case of Kenyan workers fleeing British repression during the Mau Mau Uprising. The newly independent government was fearful of the infusion of Kenyan workers who were perceived to be militant and framed trade union law in ways which were considered more draconian than during the colonial period. For example, non-Ugandans were banned from holding any position within a trade union.^[4]: 32

During the second decade of the 21st Century, NOTU emerged as the largest national trade union. While initially struggling to be relevant and undergoing significant internal divisions between 2000 and 2010,^[5] by 2018 the confederation had absorbed unions which had broken away from rival COFTU and increased membership through organising. Between 2010 and 2018, NOTU's membership grew by more than three times and represents more than 90% of organised workers in Uganda.^[1]: 1 The growth is largely attributed to the organization of informal workers.^[6]