Multinational enterprises in the plantation sector: Labour relations, employment, working conditions and welfare facilities

Following requests from the SecretaryGeneral of the National Union of Plantation and Agricultural Workers of Uganda(NUPAWU) and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development of Uganda, theILO undertook an activity to promote the MNE Declaration and social dialogue in theUgandan plantation sector with the aim of improving conditions of work and life andlabour relations. This activity sought to strengthen social dialogue among the stakeholdersand to familiarize them with the MNE Declaration as an essential tool for establishingsocial policy standards in the operations of multinational and local enterprises.The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the current situation in light of theprinciples of the MNE Declaration. The paper is based on the findings of researchundertaken by an ILO team that visited Uganda at the beginning of 2003. During themission, the team had the opportunity to visit six estates owned and/or managed by MNEsand to discuss with their management teams and workers’ represens the contributionsand concerns of multinational enterprises in the sugar, tea, coffee and flower sub-sectors.Views expressed at the seminar are also reflected in the report and the recommenionsadopted by the participants are included in appendix I.