Read this article in:
14 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 18/2004
T he 20-million-member International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) is calling on mining and other major companies in energy and oil supply in sub-Saharan Africa to join with the global union federation to provide medical clinics with fully trained staff in the fight against HIV/AIDS at all major workplace locations.
That and other initiatives emerged from a two-day, ICEM-sponsored forum for 34 senior African trade union leaders from ten nations here at the Elijah Barayi Training Center of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). "We succeeded here today with an initiative to overcome the health care infrastructure deficit that is so common across Africa," said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs.
The 28-30 March retreat also introduced a trade union structure to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. ICEM affiliates in each country will designate a union leader to serve as an ICEM National Coordinator on the HIV/AIDS issue. The ICEM is confident funding for workplace clinics and the badly needed anti-retroviral drug treatments and logistics to sustain the effort is within reach.
The ICEM has been engaged in complex dialogue with the major pharmaceutical companies for over a year to provide drug therapies at little or no cost to persons living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world.
"We recognise that some global mining concerns do have formal agreements with ICEM affiliates in Africa for education and awareness programmes on this deadly pandemic, and we are determined this work be continued and expanded," stated Higgs. "We now ask that mining and other employers join with us in this initiative that will take the fight to a higher level to assure a greater chance for success."
The ICEM envisions fully-equipped medical clinics will provide a basic infrastructure for drug treatments, and will be open to employees, family members of employees and persons in communities around the major worksites.
"Trade unions across Africa realize the vital role they need to play on the HIV/AIDS pandemic," stated Senzeni Zokwana, president of the NUM and an organizer of the conference. "We pledge to put forward the maximum effort-and where possible, in partnership with employers-to take on these workplace initiatives.
"Obviously in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we will need coordinated international cooperation, and we feel we will get that via the ICEM."
The two-day retreat of African union leaders in the mining and energy sectors was the second such conference held on HIV/AIDS. In February 2001, ICEM and NUM held a similar forum here that saw African unions return home to undertake model awareness and preventative programmes at worksites, as well as training of peer educators. Higgs stressed that today's announcement is meant to consolidate that exemplary work with a structured regional and global response in order to take those programmes to the next progression.
The ICEM, with 425 affiliated unions in 121 countries, is strategically positioned for such a direct role in the HIV/AIDS fight because it not only represents chemical workers in the pharmaceutical industry at the major drug-producing firms, but also workers and family members hardest hit by the virus in mining and mineral extraction sectors of the developing world. The ICEM also is seeking support for a full-time staff member at its Brussels-based headquarters to oversee HIV/AIDS programmes across the world.
Trade union leaders from the ten sub-Saharan African nations represented at the retreat came from: Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
That and other initiatives emerged from a two-day, ICEM-sponsored forum for 34 senior African trade union leaders from ten nations here at the Elijah Barayi Training Center of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). "We succeeded here today with an initiative to overcome the health care infrastructure deficit that is so common across Africa," said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs.
The 28-30 March retreat also introduced a trade union structure to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. ICEM affiliates in each country will designate a union leader to serve as an ICEM National Coordinator on the HIV/AIDS issue. The ICEM is confident funding for workplace clinics and the badly needed anti-retroviral drug treatments and logistics to sustain the effort is within reach.
The ICEM has been engaged in complex dialogue with the major pharmaceutical companies for over a year to provide drug therapies at little or no cost to persons living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world.
"We recognise that some global mining concerns do have formal agreements with ICEM affiliates in Africa for education and awareness programmes on this deadly pandemic, and we are determined this work be continued and expanded," stated Higgs. "We now ask that mining and other employers join with us in this initiative that will take the fight to a higher level to assure a greater chance for success."
The ICEM envisions fully-equipped medical clinics will provide a basic infrastructure for drug treatments, and will be open to employees, family members of employees and persons in communities around the major worksites.
"Trade unions across Africa realize the vital role they need to play on the HIV/AIDS pandemic," stated Senzeni Zokwana, president of the NUM and an organizer of the conference. "We pledge to put forward the maximum effort-and where possible, in partnership with employers-to take on these workplace initiatives.
"Obviously in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we will need coordinated international cooperation, and we feel we will get that via the ICEM."
The two-day retreat of African union leaders in the mining and energy sectors was the second such conference held on HIV/AIDS. In February 2001, ICEM and NUM held a similar forum here that saw African unions return home to undertake model awareness and preventative programmes at worksites, as well as training of peer educators. Higgs stressed that today's announcement is meant to consolidate that exemplary work with a structured regional and global response in order to take those programmes to the next progression.
The ICEM, with 425 affiliated unions in 121 countries, is strategically positioned for such a direct role in the HIV/AIDS fight because it not only represents chemical workers in the pharmaceutical industry at the major drug-producing firms, but also workers and family members hardest hit by the virus in mining and mineral extraction sectors of the developing world. The ICEM also is seeking support for a full-time staff member at its Brussels-based headquarters to oversee HIV/AIDS programmes across the world.
Trade union leaders from the ten sub-Saharan African nations represented at the retreat came from: Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.