WE CAN change attitudes

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Alan Leather explains how the Global Unions Programme on HIV/AIDS can help your union join the struggle to beat HIV/AIDS in the workplace.

Q: When did the Global Unions programme on HIV/AIDS come about?

A: On World AIDS day 2003 Global Unions launched a global campaign to the fight the pandemic. Since then World AIDS days have become an important date for trade union action at the workplace. In 2005 the campaign became a programme with a commitment to action over the longer term.

Q: What kind of action is involved?

A: Action to make HIV/AIDS a priority for trade unions. That means practical work to improve awareness, counselling, and treatment programmes at work,
and to help workplaces tackle the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.

One key objective for us is to mobilise funds to facilitate coordination among the different Global Unions.

Global Unions Programme Key targets

⋅Raising the profile of HIV/AIDS as a central issue for trade unions.

⋅Helping unions to develop workplace approaches to tackling the disease.

⋅Promoting better understanding of the role unions can play with employers.

⋅Mobilising additional resources to support or expand trade union work on HIV/AIDS.

⋅Developing partnerships with key international actors, in particular, the ILO and UNAIDS.

⋅Promoting best practice responses, based on the wide range of experiences that already exist in this area.

⋅Integrating HIV/AIDS work with trade union work in other fields, such as sustainable development.

Q: How do national unions fit into the picture?

A: Money raised by the programme can be used at national level, so member unions are able to get access to funds for workplace activities.
In the north, unions can play an important role by lobbying their governments to make sure they are providing money for the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. The Global Fund is the main source of money for governments in low income countries to respond to the impact of major diseases. Trade unions can access this money, although it is not an easy process.

Q: Is HIV/AIDS work important for unions in low prevalence countries?

A: Yes, because even in countries where the disease is less visible, virtually every transport union will have members affected and infection rates are increasing. HIV/AIDS does not acknowledge borders and as transport is global it is hard to defend members in just one country and not be concerned about what is happening elsewhere.

Q: Have there been any milestones in the campaign?

A: One was an agreement in 2004 between the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the International Organisation of Employers to develop a collaborative approach in the fight against the epidemic. Since the agreement, organisations representing employers and workers in eight African countries have developed joint action plans for workplace responses to HIV/AIDS. There are plans to replicate this approach in Asia, Latin America and Europe.

The agreement gives national unions a reference point in their negotiations, to say: an agreement exists, how can we implement it in our workplace? Global Unions can refer to it when they are working on framework agreements with multinational companies and want to ensure HIV/AIDS is recognised as a workplace issue.

Another important milestone was the appointment of a full-time coordinator, Clementine Dehwe, who is now working from South Africa to develop Global Union joint activities in different parts of Africa.

Q: How should each union determine its level of commitment to an HIV programme?

A: It is down to each national union to take it up in the most appropriate way. It should be high on the union agenda but we have to recognise that even in countries where prevalence is high, HIV may only be one of a number of critical issues that unions have to face.

There are also problems of lack of policy development, leadership and resources. In countries where there is a high level of infection union strength has been weakened. In practice those most in need of a trade union response are not always the places where most work is done, and this is why unions need to support one another across different sectors.

Q: What is happening at the international level?

A: We are working in partnership with other organisations – those in the United Nations family such as UNAIDS and ILO/AIDS plus non-government organisations involved in fighting AIDS. We are part of the World AIDS Campaign, which is a coalition of NGOs, where trade unions have been recognized as a vital partner.

Our next target will be the meeting of the G8 in Germany in June 2007. We have a major campaign around that event as part of our ongoing demand to get a permanent G8 working group on HIV/AIDS established. The main AIDS NGOs have agreed to take up the campaign.

Q: How many unions have a workplace policy?

A: It is difficult to be precise about numbers. We are aware that increasing numbers of unions have been mandated by members to do work on HIV/AIDS and develop their own policies. More needs to be done.

Q: What advice can you give to unions wanting to develop a programme?

A: 1. Refer to the ILO best practice handbook (order it at www.ilo.org), and the ILO code of practice on HIV/AIDS in the world of work.

2. Remember to fit HIV/AIDS into your existing areas of work. When you are negotiating agreements, you are always reviewing whether they protect members’ interests sufficiently – you have to consider HIV/AIDS as part of that process.

3. Don’t be shy to ask for resources. Many employers now realise it is in their interests to help protect their employees.

4. If possible, use an appropriate existing committee, such as an occupational safety and health committee, to monitor the results of agreements.

5. Don’t lose sight of the need to address the most difficult issue of stigma and discrimination – as a worker with HIV, that means living with the fear of losing your job, and of other workers not wanting to eat with you, or be with you.

6. It is crucial to get provision for counselling, testing and treatment. Testing must be voluntary but it is a must. For that to happen, members will need to know that treatment will follow a positive test result.

Q: How much can trade unions really do to make programmes effective?

A: A great deal, if they can reach binding agreements with the employer. If you can’t guarantee treatment, for example, there is no incentive for anyone to come forward. You must reach agreement with the employer that treatment will be available, either at the workplace, or through the employer finding a way to link up with a clinic or local hospital.

Trade unions have an enormous role to play in counselling and raising awareness. Their representatives are trusted, and can be trained as counsellors in the workplace.

Many people will talk to their workmates about personal things in a way that they might not talk to their families. So we must make the most of the opportunities we have in the workplace to raise awareness and change attitudes.

There is so much fear, suspicion and superstition around this disease. Before we change our attitude to it, we have to know something about it and how it is spread. Trade unions are in the right position to take this on through their education work. They really can have an impact.

Alan Leather is Chair of the Global Unions Advisory Group on HIV/AIDS. More details at: www.global-unions.org/hiv-aids/
See also: www.worldaidscampaign.info

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