Indian Trade unions want workplace policies on HIV/AIDS

[Guest guest]

Trade unions want workplace policies on HIV/AIDS

Statesman News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept. 3: Recognising that HIV/AIDS has become a serious

threat to the world, India's central trade unions have come out with

a joint statement of commitment asking workers and their

representatives to set up workplace policies on the infection in

collaboration with employers. They said internal committees on

HIV/AIDS would be set up at the central and state levels to review

and monitor the implementation of these policies and programmes.

" We encourage workers and their representatives to consult and

collaborate with their employers on the development and

implementation of an appropriate policy for their workplace, designed

to prevent the spread of the infection and protect all workers from

discrimination related to HIV/AIDS, " the statement signed by Gurudas

Das Gupta, general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress,

Girish Awasthi, president of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, MK Pandhe,

president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Umraomal Purohit,

general secretary of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha and Dr G Sanjeeva Reddy,

president of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, said.

They asked all " affiliates and member comrades to give the issue a

priority and act upon its prevention and care of infected and

affected " . The trade unions said that there should be no

discrimination or stigmatisation of employees on the basis of real or

perceived HIV status, and screening for HIV/AIDS should not be

required of job applicants or persons in employment. Testing for HIV

should not be carried out at the work place except as specified in

the " ILO (International Labour Organisation) Code of Practice on

HIV/AIDS and the World of Work " .

Access to personal data relating to a worker's HIV status should be

bound by the rules of confidentiality consistent with the existing

ILO code of practice, the statement said recognising HIV/AIDS as a

workplace issue.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?

clid=2 & theme= & usrsess=1 & id=168567