On 12 June 2026, the BWI-affiliated Uganda Building Construction Civil Engineering Cement and Allied Workers Union (UBCCECAWU) achieved a major milestone by signing a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with Zhongmei Engineering Group, which is working on the World Bank-funded Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo road project in Uganda. The agreement followed a series of engagements as well as negotiations and collaborations led by the union’s General Secretary together with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Ministry of Works and Transport. BWI’s strategic engagement of the World Bank and the bank’s subsequent intervention at both national and international levels also proved instrumental in securing this milestone.

The CBA will benefit over 300 workers employed directly by the project with the aim of ensuring respect for and the defense of fundamental rights at work as well as overseeing compliance with the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda and the promotion of sustainable development. The CBA will provide a framework for improving workers’ terms and conditions of employment while promoting social dialogue and cooperation between the union and the company.

The agreement commits both parties to complying with international financial institutions’ environmental and social standards, which include occupational health and safety, the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination, and fair treatment.

The signing presents an important step towards safeguarding workers’ rights, ensuring compliance with international and local labour standards, promoting decent working conditions and setting a positive example for responsible labour practices within the region’s infrastructure and construction sectors. "This agreement is a huge victory for the workers on the project site, setting a new benchmark for Uganda's construction sector. By linking multinational infrastructure development to strict ILO standards and World Bank safety protocols, we are proving that structural growth cannot come at the expense of human dignity,” said the UBCCECAWU General Secretary Grace Kiwoloma, reflecting on the win.