SACTWU AIDS PROJECT

INTRODUCTION

According to UNAIDS, an estimated 40.1 million people were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2001 and of these at least 25 million were workers, according to ILO estimates. HIV hits hardest at the most productive 15-49 years age group.

South Africa represents the highest number of infected people in a single country in the world, with an estimated 5.6 million South Africans being HIV positive by the end of 2003. (Link to www.doh.gov.za/docs/reports/2004/hiv-syphilis.pdf)

The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union is South Africa’s largest trade union organizing textile and clothing workers. It also organizes footwear, leather and retail workers. Hence, SACTWU members forms part of the economically active population that has been identified as being the hardest hit by the epidemic. Further, SACTWU’s membership is made up of an estimated 66% females. It has been estimated that in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2004 28.4 million children and adults were living with HIV and 2.6 million people died from AIDS in 2004.

It is a biological fact that women, and especially younger women, are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS than men. These biological factors are further compounded by gender roles, societal expectations placed on men and women as well as other social, economic and political factors. A woman’s “reproductive work” of child bearing and rearing needed to maintain reproduction of the future labour force should also be given due consideration. Thus with women being the most vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, not only is the sector under serious threat but also the future South African workforce.

The majority of the members are weekly paid or blue collar workers. The Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather sector is considered to be one of the lowest paying industries in South Africa (especially decentralized areas), hence members take their place in the lower socio – economic rung. The income is used to support children, unemployed family members and the elderly. The epidemic further pressurizes this income as it can impact on households to change their consumption patterns, as a result of changing incomes and higher spending on drugs, treatment and travel costs incurred to from their homes to health care settings. Subsequently, members cannot afford the luxury of Health Care in the Private sector and are forced by circumstances to turn to Public Health Care. It is estimated that 80% of people in South Africa rely on the public sector health care which is under funded and stretched to capacity. These pressures have resulted in the unique health care provision established through the collective bargaining process.

Geographically, SACTWU’s membership is found in all nine provinces with the majority of membership stemming from Western Cape (42 000) and Kwa Zulu Natal (36 000). The SACTWU AIDS Project in terms of capacity to implement has a full time Medical Doctor who functions as a National Director, Project Officer, Programme Assistant, Project Administrator, Financial Administrator, Training Co-ordinator, 2 trainers, 1 Social Worker and 5 full time professional nurses. The SACTWU AIDS Project head office is based in Kwa Zulu Natal and has regional staff working from the regional clothing health care infrastructure.