Trade Union Campaign on the workplaces on Hiv/Aids

About the publication

  • Published: 2004
  • Series: --
  • Type: NGO reviews
  • Carried out by: Liv Tørres, The Norwegian Research Council/University of Oslo and Kessie
  • Commissioned by: Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions (LO)
  • Country:
  • Theme: Health
  • Pages: --
  • Serial number: --
  • ISBN: --
  • ISSN: --
  • Organization: Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions (LO)
  • Local partner: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions African Regional
  • Project number: GLO-01/406-36
NB! The publication is ONLY available online and can not be ordered on paper.

Background

The programme was initiated by ICFTU-AFRO in 1999 due to the impact of
the Hiv/Aids pandemic on the working life in Africa as well as on the trade
union membership. Trade unions lost members, shop stewards and leaders as a result of Hiv/Aids. Since Hiv/Aids have an impact on the whole society, it was not possible to threat it as only a health issue anymore

Purpose/objective

The objectives have been to increase the knowledge of Hiv/Aids impact
on the society including the working life and the trade union movemen increase the shop stewards understanding of the importance of training
and education in fighting the Hiv/Aids pandemic.

Methodology

The evaluation team has conducted interviews with persons directly involved
in the programme. Some participants have been interviewed. Documents including activity reports and audited accounts have been carefully studied

Key findings

The overall findings of this evaluation is that about 500 shopstewards have
been trained, and that a co-operation between ICFTU and the International
Organisation of Employers (IOE) on hiv/aids have been created. In addition
a manual on Hiv/Aids on the workplaces as well as leaflets and brochures been elaborated. A better co-operation between workers and employers organisations has been achieved in some of the countries involved in the programme.

The weakness of the programme has been that the number of countries and
donors have varied. The result of this has been that it is not enough resources
available per country. The effect of this is less shopsteward training than
originally planned. A substantial amount of money has also been spent on co-ordination of the programme. The evaluation report is generally positive. The report recommend more detailed and clear objectives of the programme in future with more emphasis on collective bargaining. A key proposal in the report is to strengthen the unions capacity to negotiate, so that Hiv/Aids-related issues to a greater is integrated into collective agreements.

Published 23.01.2009
Last updated 16.02.2015