2018 was a special year in many ways especially with strong support from you the employers. We also received potential members who opted to join the employers’ fraternity without us reaching directly to them. This implies that they came through referrals and the visibility campaigns that we undertook.

In addition, we witnessed a very high level of trust from employers that enabled us to deliver a number of customized services including providing support for mergers and acquisitions, strategy development and mediation services. We were able to significantly improve membership engagement which resulted into more 40 dormant members reactivating their membership.

Your support enabled us to continue to develop the network of Ugandan Employers with 35 new members joining the employers’ fraternity in 2018. Some of these include; Exim Bank Limited, Finish Refugee Council, Finance Trust Bank, Infectious Diseases Institute, Medical Research Council, Letshego, NARO, UNRA, Toyota Uganda Limited, Sight Savers International, and ADD International among others. We were also able to bring on board, Tinkr, an International Member from Norway.

We continued to lobby, advocate and represent the Employers’ interest on several issues as laid out in the FUE 2016-2018 Business Agenda. We also tackled additional issues like financial literacy, energy, and security threats to investors. We took care of your interest as follows;

• At the 107^th Session of the ILO Conference, FUE represented employers’ interests on several global policy discussions through 4 committees, namely; labor migration, employment and decent work, fundamental principles on right at work and application of conventions and recommendations.
• Reviewed several policy papers of the International Organization of Employers (IOE). The papers were presented at various forums including meetings of the G7, G20 and European Union.
• Submitted Employers’ views to H.E President of the Republic of Uganda during the International Labor Day.

• FUE made an input on the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) Council policy draft.
• The Minimum wage position was finalized & submitted to the Ministry responsible for Labour.
• Presented employers’ views during Employment Diagnostics Analysis. It focuses on key drivers for job creation.
• FUE is working on MoU with UIA to support the promotion of investments in the country and job creation.
• FUE supported the process that led to the issuing of the Certificate of financial implication for the National Health Insurance Scheme bill.
• We made submissions for the National Budget 2018/2019.
• We made submissions to the Labour, employment and productivity working committee of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
• We made inputs to the Social Protection working group of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
• Presented employers’ views on the minimum wage to the Parliamentary committee on Gender, Labor and Social Development.
• Renewed our MoU with Makerere University, which will involve continuously looking out for schemes and initiatives that add value to our members inclusive of shaping the skilling of your future people resource.
• Engaged with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports to fast track the establishment of the TVET council with strong employer representation.
• There are a number of statutory boards, committees and bodies whose work has an impact on your operations. FUE has also continued to represent your views on such bodies. Our representatives continued engaging in these meetings of boards including;
• NSSF
• Uganda Industrial Court
• Uganda Revenue Authority
• Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority
• Industrial Training Council
• Skilling Uganda reform taskforce
• Vocational Training Institute Nakawa
• Labour Advisory Board
• National Curriculum Development Centre
• Private Sector Foundation Uganda
• East African Employers Organisation
• Business Africa
• Global Fund Uganda Country Coordinating Mechanism Board
• Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority
• National Health Insurance Scheme Taskforce
• Higher Education Students Financing Board
• National Disability Council
• Uganda Business Technical Examination Board
• And others

• Launched the Private Sector HIV/AIDS One Dollar Initiative marathon, a mechanism to mobilize resources domestically to improve financing for HIV/AIDS and related diseases within our Private Sector. 
• A Strategic Plan for 2019-2023 was developed and approved by the Governing Council sitting on the December 13, 2018.
• A new Business Agenda for 2019-2021 was developed and approved by the Governing Council sitting on the December 13, 2018.
• Promoted work-based learning programs like apprenticeships and volunteer programs.

• Developed employers’ position on the review of the labour laws through extensive consultation with employers
• As employers we should be in solidarity. A number of companies received support towards maintaining harmonious relations at their workplaces through our wide range of advisory, negotiation, trainings and employment legal counsel offered.
• Improved services to our members reflected in the increased number of trainings and services offered through in-house arrangements.
• We also executed programs, initiatives, events, and networking activities that add value to you our members including;
• (11^th intake)
• The 8^th Annual Women Leadership Conference under the theme “Building a lasting legacy: What is yours?”
• Two CEO Breakfast Meetings in July and November 2018
• We also twice conducted a free members’ training on managing terminations, dismissals & constituting disciplinary committees at the workplace.
• The MOU with the Ministry of Public Service was signed
• Graduate volunteers scheme implementation
• Signed an MoU with FUZU-Uganda for promoting skills, career development and job matching between employers and job seekers

Major FUE activities of 2019 include the following:

• Member visits, engagement and support
• 3 free general trainings for paid up members
• Regional Sensitizations on Employment Relations
• The 8^th Annual Women Leadership Conference
• Employer of the Year (EYA) awards launch
• Two CEO Breakfast Meetings
• Chinese Employers Meeting
• The Executive Training in Employment Relations (ETER) Program
• The Female Future Program