Trade Unions sign joint statement to work on HIV/AIDS issue

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) Five major trade unions of the country today pledged to create awarness about of HIV/AIDS and educate people about the discase and its devastating effects.

Launching a joint statement of commitment on HIV/AIDS, the five unions, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, gave a commitment that they will urge their affiliates and members to give priority to the issue and act upon its prevention and treatment and care for those infected, with focus on the unorganised sector.

The five unions are--All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC).

The unions said they endorsed the ILO Code of practice on HIV/AIDS and will work to develop their response based on its key principles.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Sophia Kisting, Director, ILO (AIDS) said trade unions with their massive reach can be a good tool to reach out to a large number of workers. ''Trade unions have tremendous influence on people. They can help both the employees and employers to create an enabling environment, link with government programmes in developing and implementing HIV prevention,''she said.

She said more importantly, they could also create necessary environment, to make the workers want to know what their status.

They could also help provide access to services and implement policies and programmes.'' Urging India to learn from South Africa's mistakes, Ms Kisting said,''Please do not be complacent and must find a way for correcting our mistakes.'' Trade Union leaders G Sanjeeva Reddy (also an MP) of INTUC, Uday Patvardhan of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Dr M K Pandhe, president of the CITU and R A Mittal, who were all present at the function, spoke of their commitment to work for the cause. ''It is difficult to extract a commitment from the trade unions, but if they give it, they about break it,'' said Mr Mittal.

As HIV/AIDS affects the most productive age-group of 15 to 49 years, it has far reaching consequences on the socio-economic fabric of the country, he said and promised his organisation's commitment to the cause.

UNI