With World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, ITF urges that standing up for transport workers with HIV is shipping industry’s responsibility.
In fact, on this World AIDS Day, ITF urges that like many other transport workers who cross national boundaries for work, seafarers have a relatively high rate of infection for HIV.
“I want to send a message to all those HIV-positive transport workers, who drive our buses, ticket our trains, pilot our ships, operate our port cranes, clean our planes, or catch our fish: we have unbreakable solidarity with you.
This isn’t just because the theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is ‘Global solidarity, shared responsibility’. It’s because solidarity, real solidarity – through our actions and our deeds – is a fundamental union value. It’s what makes us strong, and kind, and unbeatable”…as ITF General Secretary, Stephen Cotton, stated.
In light of the coronavirus pandemic, ITF explained that HIV-positive seafarers are now facing a double crisis.
Namely, the crew change crisis, where quarantine restrictions have triggered governments to close borders and ban seafarers from stepping ashore, has resulted to a crisis in seafarers’ ability to access the HIV medicines and medical treatments.
Even before the pandemic, accessing HIV medications was difficult and patchy for seafarers. In 2020, this problem is actually getting worse. In response to Covid-19, most of the world’s governments closed their borders – including to seafarers working aboard ships. This border and shore access situation is undoubtedly making things even more complicated for seafarers living with HIV.
…as Stephen Cotton added.
Following the above, ITF calls shipping players to start acting, while take into consideration:
- Raise the crew change crisis and seafarer access to HIV medications and treatment as a priority for your government and health authorities;
- Tell your governments that HIV and equitable treatment of those living with it is a workplace issue, including access to medications through workplace health cover;
- Develop workplace policies and awareness, education and treatment programs on HIV/AIDS in partnership with the employers and social partners to improve the lives of HIV-positive transport workers;
- Support and encourage your governments to back initiatives that to reduce the rate of new infections, such as by making sexual health products like condoms and treatment services free and accessible;
- Push for the subsidisation of preventative HIV medications like PrEP, and post-exposure medications for treating the virus in HIV-positive people;
- Educate your members about the modern reality of HIV – how it is transmitted, how to get treatment and help, and how HIV-positive people can now lead long and relatively healthy lives with the right medication and support;
- Challenge HIV- and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in the industries you organise, within your membership and in the community. An injury to one is an injury to all – live it.
- Listen to your HIV-positive members. What do they need? What are the challenges they are facing – practical and social, at work or in their lives? Then take action to help tackle those problems, together.
Standing up for transport workers with HIV is a union’s responsibility.
…Stephen Cotton concluded.
