In Uganda's floriculture sector, the deputy secretary-general of the Uganda Horticulture and Allied Industrial Workers Union (UHISPAWU) says international support has helped stabilise labour relations, improve working conditions and modernise the union's internal systems.
Innocent Musinguzi, deputy secretary-general of UHISPAWU, says support from Mondiaal FNV has played an important role in professionalising the union's work. "With this support, many things have improved, although we still face very significant challenges," he explains. Musinguzi works as a cold store employee at cutting producer Xclusive and has progressed to a leadership position within the national flower workers' union.
© Jeroen van Loon / Mondiaal FNV
Digital membership administration is a great help for the union
One major step forward has been the introduction of a digital membership registration system, developed with support from Mondiaal FNV. "New members can now be registered easily via mobile phones, directly through local union representatives at the company level," says Musinguzi.
The system also allows UHISPAWU to better track membership growth and departures. This represents a significant improvement compared with the previous paper-based administration, which was slow and difficult to manage, particularly in a sector with high staff turnover and, as a result, fluctuating union membership.
A broader understanding of the international flower supply chain
UHISPAWU has also benefited from training programmes provided by Mondiaal FNV, covering topics such as leadership, workplace rights and responsibilities, improving relations with employers, and collective bargaining. As part of this cooperation, Musinguzi participated in an exchange visit to the Netherlands, organised by Mondiaal FNV and the international trade union federation IUF.
"The visit was very informative," he says. "We visited the Royal FloraHolland flower auction, which gave me a much better understanding of how the entire flower supply chain operates."
According to Musinguzi, this knowledge is shared with union representatives and workers across the sector. "As a leader, I play an important role in passing this information on," he explains. "I provide guidance to both workers and employers on their rights and obligations in the workplace. Ultimately, this contributes to better working conditions and improved living standards."
Harmony and stability in the flower sector
Financial support during collective labour agreement negotiations has also been crucial, Musinguzi says. "Negotiations take a lot of time and therefore also require financial resources. You need to involve several negotiators, and the process often consists of multiple rounds."
"With financial support, we were able to prepare better and participate with stronger negotiation teams," he adds. "Combined with training in negotiation techniques, this helped us secure improvements in working conditions, working hours and wages. That, in turn, has contributed to greater harmony and stability for workers in the floriculture sector."
Challenges remain at some nurseries
Despite these improvements, serious challenges remain in parts of Uganda's flower industry. "Conditions have improved at many companies, but there are still major problems at some farms," Musinguzi says.
He points to cases where flower farms are owned by politically influential individuals who fail to comply with agreements. "Some companies refuse to provide lunch for workers or to implement wage increases. That is extremely challenging, as they often behave as if they are above the law."
Union leaders are still targeted in some companies
At certain companies, union leaders continue to face deliberate dismissals, according to Musinguzi. "Employers often use 'restructuring' as an excuse, but we know that this is not genuine," he says. "We frequently take such cases to court, but legal proceedings are expensive and time-consuming."
He adds that this practice discourages workers from joining the union or taking on leadership roles, making it more difficult for the union to operate effectively.
Musinguzi also believes that UHISPAWU receives insufficient solidarity support from international trade union federations, including IUF. "If that support were stronger, many of these issues could be resolved more quickly," he says.
Still a long way to go
Despite the obstacles, Innocent Musinguzi remains determined. "We will continue to fight for a living wage — a wage that allows workers to meet their basic needs, including food, housing and school fees for their children."
According to UHISPAWU, a living wage in Uganda would be approximately 900,000 Ugandan shillings (€222) per month. Currently, wages in the country's floriculture sector average around 350,000 Ugandan shillings (€86) per month. "In that respect, there is still a long way to go," Musinguzi concludes.
Source: Mondiaal FNV
