International Centre for Trade Union Rights

The HIV/AIDS campaign is a trade union campaignAuthor(s): LAURA FISHERSource: International Union Rights, Vol. 9, No. 4, Focus on migrant workers (2002), pp. 28-29Published by: International Centre for Trade Union RightsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41936081 .

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OPINION Cl HIV/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS

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LAURA FISHER is ACTSA's campaigns officer

EVERY As 2,300,000

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and EVERY 2,300,000 lives are being lost to HIV/AIDS. As a direct result countries like Zambia and

Malawi, that have been striving to develop their economies for years, are facing negative econom- ic growth. The African arm of the ICFTU has called for "unprecedented mobilisation by trade unions", and Andrew Kailembo, General Sec- retary of ICFTU-Afro has declared: "we are com- mitting ourselves to make the HIV/AIDS cam- paign the mother of all campaigns by trade unions."

Southern Africa is grappling with the highest HIV infection rates anywhere in the world. In Botswana, over 35 per cent of the adult popula- tion are HIV positive. In South Africa, one in four young women are infected. The nature of the dis- ease means that it mainly affects and infects people of working age. As most infected people are aged between 16 and 35, AIDS is striking at the heart of the economically active population. It is putting an unbearable burden on social ser- vices and reversing hard won development gains. Young men and women in their 20s and 30s are dying in terrifyingly high numbers.

AIDS in the workplace AIDS is having a devastating affect on the work- place and workers at many different levels. In Tanzania it is projected that adult deaths will reduce the workforce by 20 per cent and the mean age of workers from 32 to 28 by 2010. The direct impact can be seen in every workplace.

Across all sectors workers are falling ill and dying. Despite concerted attempts to eliminate discrimination against HIV positive people, stig- ma, fear and denial remain rife. The effects of HIV in the workplace spread far wider than the devastating impact on HIV-positive workers themselves. In Southern Africa no-one is untouched by this virus. Those who are not infected themselves, lose members of their imme- diate family or close friends. Absenteeism is an enormous problem as people struggle to care for the sick, the elderly or orphans who have lost their primary carers.

Workers in certain industries, such as the trans- port and mining sectors, are particularly badly affected especially when they spend long periods away from their homes and families and are in close contact with the sex industry. In Southern Africa the mining industry employs between 750,000 and 900,000 people. Some mining com- panies estimate that up to 40 per cent of their workforces have HIV. Anglo American has esti-

mated that in its Zimbabwe operations, 66 per cent of the withdrawals from employment due to death or ill health are as a result of HIV In Zambia a local recording company has produced tapes with recordings of popular songs punctuated with a short AIDS-awareness segment. These tapes have been distributed to truck drivers in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic also has an indirect impact on the workplace. Wage demands are increasing as workers struggle to compensate for rising costs at home. Certain sectors are suffering as consumers redirect their spending towards health care provision. At the same time workers themselves are increasingly less skilled and less educated. Many young workers simply are not active in the workforce for long enough to be able to develop their skills.

At a time when health services and education provision are of critical importance, the people working in these sectors are falling ill themselves, leaving weakened and depleted social services. In Zambia, AIDS kills around 1,000 teachers a year, which is almost equal to the total output of the nation's teacher colleges. In Malawi one in three schoolteachers are infected with HIV

Workers fight back Workers themselves have taken the initiative to fight the disease in their communities and their workplaces. Informally workers are counselling their co-workers and helping to care for AIDS orphans. Their unions are also leading the way. For example, the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) has adopted a pioneering programme of action to fight AIDS, including training and awareness programmes, testing and counselling for workers and even help financing expensive HIV/AIDS medicines.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is one of the leading members of the Treatment Action Campaign. TAC and COSATU are united behind one overall objective - access to treatment for all. TAC came in to the global spotlight last year when it spearheaded a cam- paign to force the pharmaceutical companies to drop their case against the South African Government. Demonstrations took place across the world in protest at the drug companies action, and in many cases trade unionists led the way. In the UK, the British public sector union UNISON mobilised workers to join the protests outside the Association of the British Pharma- ceutical Industry. The TAC/COSATU relationship goes far beyond individual protests. COSATU's

INTERNATIONAL union rights Page 28 Volume 9 Issue 4 2002

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To join the campaign, order action leaflets or find out more contact ACTSA at 28 Penton Street, London N1 9SA Tel 020 7833 3133 or visit www.actsa.org or www.tuc.org.uk/globalisation

campaigns coordinator represents labour on TAC's executive committee. While COSATU are able to help mobilise around key campaigns, TAC helps COSATU improve the union response to HIV/AIDS, providing medical and scientific infor- mation and support to union officials and shop- stewards.

Elsewhere in Southern Africa, trade unions are also joining the struggle against AIDS. The South- ern African Development Community (SADC) has developed a code on AIDS and Employment through consultation with trade unions across the region. The Code is intended to influence labour policy practice in SADC member states. Countries are encouraged to develop tripartite national codes on AIDS that are reflected in law.

In April 2002 the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) launched a crusade against HIV/AIDS. The ZCTU secretary-general, Sylvester Tembo described Zambia as being threatened by the ravages of HIV/AIDS with the able bodied perishing at an alarming rate. He remains con- vinced that "trade unions are well placed to help in the campaign against this scourge".

In Malawi a multi-sectoral approach has been adopted to deal with the many challenges of HIV/AIDS. A formal partnership has been created between government, the labour movement, the private sector and non-governmental organisa- tions to ensure that they deliver a co-ordinated response to the crisis.

Employers respond to AIDS Bar some notable exceptions, the response from companies has been slow and disappointing. Up until very recently Coca-Cola, the biggest private employer in Africa, only provided healthcare to about 1,500 administrative staff, excluding almost 100,000 bottlers and distributors from accessing medicines. Following a recent international cam- paign, Coca-cola has entered into negotiations with its subsidiaries to start providing medicines to blue collar workers, although there remain many areas of concern.

One of the worst affected sectors, the mining industry has also been slow to react. However some progress is beginning to be made. Anglo- American has declared it will extend its HIV/AIDS strategy to include paying for anti-retroviral treat- ment for all its workers. The company is also planning to provide counselling and support ser- vices for workers as well as treatment for oppor- tunistic infections. Fellow mining companies, De Beers and Gold Fields, have followed suit announcing that they too will provide treatment for workers with HIV. However, UK-listed mining giant BHP Billiton remains determined to buck this trend. The Chief Executive Brian Gilbertson insists that companies funding and providing drugs "is not the solution".

AngloGold, a subsidiary of Anglo American, believes that some 28 per cent of its 44,000 African workforce is infected with the HIV virus, and has recently signed up to a ground breaking HIV/AIDS agreement with five mining unions including the South African National Union of Mineworkers. The agreement deals with many different aspects of the struggle against AIDS, ranging from peer education and voluntary coun- selling to some of the structural problems specif- ic to the mining industry, such as the need for family accommodation in mining areas and for treatment programmes to include provision for spouses and workers who are away from the mines for long periods of time.

Take action against AIDS While workers, unions and even some companies are starting to make progress in the fight against AIDS, the response from the international com- munity has been shameful. At face value the need for mass mobilisation of resources seems to be recognised. Few international conferences or meetings take place without another proclama- tion of the urgent need to combat the AIDS epi- demic. But action to back up these fine words is sadly lacking.

United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has estimated that an additional $7-10 billion are needed each year to fight HIV/AIDS. As a result a Global Fund was set up last year to attract dona- tions. To date donations have been disappointing- ly low. Only just over $2 billion have been pledged and this money is to be spread over a period of three years.

The Global Fund has the potential to make a difference, but according to Aditi Sharma, ACTSA's Director, its "contribution so far does lit- tle more than stick a plaster on a gaping wound." This is why ACTSA, with support from the TUC and many individual unions, is lobbying the British government to immediately pledge more money to the Fund. So far it has given £138 mil- lion - considerably more than some rich coun- tries (Australia has not given a penny), but still far short of what is needed to make a real impact.

Page 29 Volume 9 Issue 4 2002 INTERNATIONAL union rights

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