Glenda Daniels
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) this week threatened strike action if the Anglo American corporation does not reverse its policy against providing anti-retroviral drugs to its workers.
The multinational corporation earlier this year made headline-grabbing news when it announced that it would provide anti-retroviral treatment for its HIV-positive workers.
Now the union says Anglo American is reneging on its promise. The corporation is denying that it made any promise either unconditionally or by implication.
NUM is accusing Anglo American of racism. The union, which has more than 250 000 members, says the company’s current medical scheme benefits only senior management, which makes up about 14 000 of the workforce, the majority of which is white.
“This shows a disregard for the lives of the majority of the workers who are black. Therefore, the move by Anglo is racist and sees black life as being cheap and dispensable,” says Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo.
Anglo American hit back at the unions on Thursday, saying it is not reneging on any policy on HIV/Aids drugs. “There has been no change in policy. We said all along that we are doing feasibility studies into providing drugs. We are still in the process of establishing cost implications,” company spokesperson Marion Dickson told the Mail & Guardian. “We are involved in a moving target. The nature of drugs is changing all the time.”
Before any full-on commitment to provide anti-retrovirals the complex feasibility study will have to be completed, says Dickson.
Cosatu says it will throw its support behind NUM in whatever action it takes against Anglo American. “When Anglo made this announcement Cosatu hailed it as a breakthrough and a step in the right direction,” says Mothapo.
He says NUM, a Cosatu affiliate, saw Anglo American’s promise to provide drugs as a publicity gimmick. “The decision to limit provision of anti-Aids drugs has vindicated NUM’s position.”
Cosatu and NUM regard the decision as a betrayal of workers who produce the company’s profits. “Anglo has once again demonstrated that the company cares more for profits than workers’ lives. NUM views the current position by Anglo as a contradiction to the recently signed NUM/Chamber agreement. We call on the company to reverse its decision and provide anti-Aids drugs to all its workers,” Mothapo says.
He says NUM will try to engage the company over the next few days and will then “consider the necessary steps that may lead to a strike if Anglo does not reverse the decision”.