Business and labour agreed to co-operate to tackle HIV/Aids at a breakfast held at the Colloquium for Social Entrepreneurs on 16 February 2010, writes Les Tilley.

The meeting was hosted by Brad Mears, the chief executive of SABCOHA, and attended by Sidumo Dlamini and Jacqueline Mpolokeng of Cosatu, Arlene Conradie and Fazeela Fayers from Fedusa (Federation of Unions of South Africa), and Brenda Modise and Maggie Makgoba from Nactu (National Council of Trade Unions).

The issue that the panel faced was: "In light of the governments' renewed commitment to combating the spread of HIV and treating those already infected, business and labour are presented with a unique challenge in finding ways to collaborate. How do business and labour ensure cordiality in the way that they manage relationships, to ensure that HIV programmes are extended and strengthened? How can business and labour effectively collaborate outside the cut and thrust of collective bargaining, to prevent further infections and improve access to treatment?"

Mears pointed out that President Jacob Zuma on World Aids Day in 2009 said: "We have no choice but to deploy every effort, mobilise every resource, and utilise every skill that our nation possesses, to ensure that we prevail in this struggle for the health and prosperity of our nation."

The president also announced a massive testing campaign to begin on 31 March 2010. 

Mears said: "This breakfast is a way to answer that call.  In the past, employers and unions have not worked closely together.  However, now we need to consider ourselves as equal partners.

"However, before we can consider working together, there are some very basic philosophical hurdles we need to jump over. Does business want to work with labour, and does labour want to work with business? Do we trust each other sufficiently to work at the levels that we may need to? Can labour work with a sector it ultimately calls for the destruction of? Can business work with a sector which many would regard as an unnecessary evil?"

Dlamini said: "Our focus is on prevention if we are going to cut infections by 50% by 2014.  We need to lead by example, not just around HIV/Aids but also around other health issues. The proposed National Health Service is now the way to go. How are going to make it a success? We need to confront that debate."

The federations were criticized for not taking HIV seriously enough and senior leaders were disappointing when it came to leading by example.

Mpolokeng said: "Business and labour need each other. We know that when employers work with employees, there is a great impact." She pointed out that the testing campaign needed to be a success and that Cosatu was going to check if hospitals could cope.

"If not, then we are going to need help from business."

Conradie also expressed concern, saying that Fedusa "faced many challenges".

Fayers said: "We are concerned about the ability of the public health system to deliver."

It was suggested by the panel that district clinics should be able to come into the workplace to test employees and deliver treatment, but that "confidentiality must be maintained".

Other issues raised by the panel included the training of peer educators, occupational safety in the health sector for employees - such as safe needles - and consistent messages about prevention.

Fayers said: "Unions should be given the opportunity to train our shop stewards."

Makgoba raised the issue of workers needing time off to go for treatment but also highlighted the problem of stigma being attached to the worker.

Mears pointed out that there was no dispute between labour and business working together, while Modise said: "The issue of trust between labour and business must be guaranteed."

All participants agreed that the Department of Health and the Minister of Health had come to the party and that they were eager participants in tackling these issues. It was suggested that there should be a report back within 30 days on the way forward. Mears said: "Leadership has been shown by the government. It is now the time to deliver."

For more information:

Click here to view Brad Mear's speec:  Union Breakfast BM 25.50 Kb

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