HIV/AIDS at the workplace
Take an HIV test and keep sailing! ILO promotes HIV/AIDS awareness among seafarers
Ukraine remains among the European countries most affected by HIV and AIDS. Every day, fifty people get infected and ten die from AIDS. The epidemic is driven by key populations: partly by people who inject drugs, but the prevailing cause has been sexual transmission over the last decade. The spread of HIV is also fueled by stigma and discrimination based on real or perceived HIV status. This is why ILO has been working on HIV/AIDS in the world of work.
The Maritime Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU) is a dedicated partner of the ILO in combatting HIV among seafarers, working together to make sure workers’ rights are not violated in relation to their HIV status. The union unites more than 80 thousand women and men workers throughout Ukraine, over half of them being seafarers, mostly on board of foreign flag vessels. Through large sectoral trade unions such as MTWTU, it is possible reach out to a high number of people in high risk sectors, raising their awareness about hazards and informing them on their rights.
Seafarers are particularly vulnerable to HIV. Their job implies long time away from their home and families, and an isolated environment on a vessel, which may cause stress and makes them prone to risky behaviour.
The ILO helps the Union to address HIV stigma and discrimination over the last 3 years. In 2019 alone, the Union worked with about 5000 women and men workers, as well as their family members to raise their awareness about HIV at trainings and public events. In addition, 500 people chose to take a test to find out their HIV status.
Myroslav Laptiev 3rd Officer taking an HIV test at an ILO training for seafarers in December, 2019 © Natalia Izhytsa
The Union developed its HIV workplace policy with ILO support. It managed to reach out to crewing companies as well as to lecturers and cadets of secondary and tertiary maritime schools.
Women in the maritime sector are mostly employed in the port or on cruise liners, and are typically lower paid. In 2019, the ILO started to address violence and harassment in the world of work and its connection with HIV at the trainings where women seafarers, as well as spouses of male seafarers participated.
“The Union is always ready to protect the rights of maritime workers, including those related to their real or perceived HIV status. We will be extremely satisfied, as a Union, to see our members-- both women and men--happy and protected at work regardless of their HIV status” explains Oleg Grygoriuk, First Deputy Chairman of MTWTU. “My message for all seafarers is this: take an HIV test and keep sailing!”
Voluntary counseling and HIV testing among maritime sector workers need scaling up so that they all know their HIV status, take an antiretroviral treatment if needed, and continue living a productive life.
With ILO help, HIV remains high on the agenda of the Union with plans to expand work in this area in 2020 and beyond. Three seafarers living with HIV already approached the Union seeking advice with regard to their labour rights. The Union wants to make sure that the maritime sector becomes a workplace where HIV positive status is not an obstacle to employment at sea and does not mean stigma and discrimination for those affected.