Syed Asif Altaf

Some groups of workers are particularly more vulnerable to acquiring and transmitting HIV infection because of the nature and condition of their work. Transport workers, who are mobile, are such a group-whether they work on land, sea or air routes.

Since late 80s, the International Transport Workers Fedetation (TF) through its affiliates have been actively involved in HIV prevention programmes for different sectors of transport workers. The ITF has developed its HIV strategy, which consists of three interrelated elements that support and reinforce each other: first bring HIV/AIDS into the mainstream of transport unions and the ITF industrial sections’ daily work based on a holistic trade union perspective. Secondly though project activities, supporting and coordinating transport unions’ interventions in awareness raising, negotiating collective bargaining agreements and workplace policies on HIV/AIDS, lobbying national governments and international institutions, and providing treatment and care for already infected workers. Third ensuring that the lessons learned from all of our work are being captured, shared and used by our affiliates to defend and improve the rights and conditions of transport workers.

Our past experience clearly show us that HIV/AIDS, more than any other disease, needs a bold, well-planned international response. It is an enormous medical as well as social, economic and humanitarian crisis that must be tackled as a global emergency.

This means that transport unions need to fight the epidemic effectively on a global scale through multi-faceted global programme. We will cover new regions such as CEE countries, Caribbean and the Middle East. Beyond that the ITF will also focus on industrialised countries if we don’t want our fight against HIV to fail in the long run.

Global HIV/AIDS project The ITF implements different regional and sub regional programmes but it has recently launched its new visionary Global HIV/AIDS project. The Global project is aiming to globalise solidarity amongst transport workers in which transport unions from different countries cooperate to mobilise their resources and coordinate responses. Target Groups:Our past experience clearly show us that HIV/AIDS, more than any other disease, has shown the necessity of a bold, well-planned international response. It is an enormous medical as well as social, economic and humanitarian crisis that must be tackled as a global emergency.

This means that as transport unions to fight the epidemic effectively on a global scale, we need to transform our current programme into a more effective and multi-faceted global programme. We should cover new regions such as CEE countries, Caribbean and the Middle East. Beyond that we should intensify our grassroots activism in industrial countries if we don’t want our fight against HIV to fail in the long run.

Trade union leadership, peer educators, negotiators and union activists are generally the target group of this project. As HIV/AIDS has an important gender dimension the ITF women contact persons in the transport unions and the existing women network will be part of the project. This is also important to reach into the union membership. For the same reason educators network will also be targeted. Project Objectives:Transport trade unions will be able to develop and assimilate a holistic trade union perspective to combat HIV/AIDS. The project aims at assisting affiliates to direct their activities towards reducing vulnerability created by many factors including poverty, fast changing character of transport (logistics), different sorts of discrimination and gender inequality. The ITF and its affiliated unions will have the capacity to play a more active role in HIV/AIDS projects targeting their members by activating their existing capacities as well as building new capacity. The project aims at empowering ITF affiliated unions to get actively involved in projects and initiatives targeting transport workers. Transport trade unions will be able to engage employers in the development of workplace policies and will be able to negotiate comprehensive HIV/AIDS clauses into collective agreements. The project aims at developing negotiating strategies, social dialogue, negotiate agreements, implement and monitor them.

In addition to the Global HIV/AIDS project, the ITF is also implementing number of regional and sub-regional projects especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia where HIV prevalence rate is very high.

The other ongoing projects on HIV/AIDS are:

• HIV/AIDS and transport workers in Africa: This is a continuation from previous ITF projects in Sub-Saharan Africa encouraging affiliates to recognise HIV/AIDS as a workplace and trade union issue. The project puts particular emphasis on the development of workplace policies and collective bargaining.
• HIV/AIDS and transport workers-South Asia: The project is primarily concerned with focusing on HIV/AIDS as trade union and workplace issue targeting affiliates in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• Joint Regional HIV/AIDS project in the Abidjan-Lagos transport corridor: This is a World Bank financed HIV/AIDS prevention project and ITF affiliates in Cote d’Ivoire and Togo are taking part in the project.
• REDSO Transport Corridor Initiative: This a Family Health International funded HIV prevention project and our affiliates in Kenya and DR Congo is taking part in the project.
• Seafarer’s Health Information Program (SHIP): This is a health promotion campaign implemented by the International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare (ICSW). This project covers seven health issues and HIV/AIDS is one of the important issues among them.

ITF resources on HIV/AIDS:
· Highway of Hope: Documentary on HIV/AIDS

The ITF has produced a documentary on the HIV/AIDS vulnerability of transport workers. The objective of this documentary is to highlight the seriousness of the HIV/AIDS crisis affecting transport workers on the Northern Corridor- a strategic arterial line connecting East Africa with the rest of the world and covering Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Notorious for accidents, traffic deaths along its difficult and dangerous route and hotspot for HIV infections, this highway is also called as the Devil’s highway.

The documentary explores the relationship between HIV/AIDS and the factors making transport workers vulnerable to the deadly infection. It also shows how transport workers unions including ITF affiliates are leading the fight back against the deadly disease and turning the devil’s highway into a “Highway of Hope”. The documentary is available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

· Web The ITF website has a dedicated page on HIV/AIDS with all the HIV/AIDS related materials and information produced by the ITF.

• HIV/AIDS Manual:

The ITF has developed an education manual called HIV/AIDS: Transport workers take action. This manual is aimed at leaders in transport unions, especially senior shop stewards, educators and negotiators. It can be used to facilitate workshops, seminars and training.

· Research study on AIDS and transport:

The ITF produced a report based on the experiences of Ugandan road and rail transport workers and their unions in fighting HIV/AIDS.

• Agenda, the ITF annual publication on HIV/AIDS:

The ITF has published the first edition of “Agenda,” an annual publication on “HIV/AIDS and Transport workers”. The objective of this publication is to help affiliates and other relevant stakeholders to develop a trade union perspective of the epidemic within the context of a holistic intervention. It is published in 4 languages (English, Spanish, French and Russian). It will also be translated into Arabic for the ITF Arab World website.

· Global HIV project E-bulletin:
The ITF is producing a fortnightly E-bulletin on HIV/AIDS. The objective of this E-bulletin is to circulate AIDS-related news, publications, literature and research to affiliated unions and others working in this field on a regular basis. · HIV/AIDS campaign materials:

Starting from World AIDS Day 2006, the ITF has initiated a long-term campaign on HIV/AIDS. The objective of this campaign is to move HIV/AIDS into unions’ core programmes and activities and to encourage unions to Establish HIV as a workplace issue. Detailed guideline and other campaign materials like posters, stickers, and leaflets have been produced. The ITF strongly believes that, with the organisational strength of almost 700 affiliated unions in 148 countries, we can make a difference and keep transport workers and their families healthy and safe from HIV/AIDS.

• Playing cards with HIV/AIDS educational messages:

Designed by a railway union activist in India, the ITF Delhi office has produced playing cards with HIV awareness slogans. Transport workers sometimes play cards when off duty or resting. These cards are a tool to raise awareness and remind workers in their workplace, communities and at home to protect themselves and their families from HIV/AIDS. For all the above-mentioned resources, please visit the ITF website: www.itfglobal.organd for further information please contact the ITF Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Dr. Syed Asif Altaf, Altaf_Asif [at] itf [dot] org [dot] uk, + 44 207 940 9298