De Beers Diamond Mining Company and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) signed a joint HIV/Aids workplace policy on Friday.
The policy covered a number of issues including the non-discrimination against HIV-infected and affected employees, and education and training programmes, the union and the diamond mining giant said in a joint statement.
It also concentrated on prevention strategies such as voluntary counselling and testing, and a holistic wellness approach which now included a wider provision of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
”This policy truly represents a unified response from business and labour to the threat posed by HIV/Aids to our business, to our employees, their families and the communities in which we operate.
”It is only by mobilising and combining the efforts of all stakeholders that we can reduce the impact of the HIV/Aids pandemic,” De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer said at the signing ceremony in Johannesburg.
NUM deputy general secretary Archie Palane said it was through partnership that both parties could make a difference to the lives of workers seeking care and support.
”The agreement comes at a time when those who have lost hope need leadership. However, we hope that we are not signing the agreement to fill the filing cabinets.
”The major test will be in the implementation. We truly hope that those in need will reciprocate by utilising the opportunity geared towards extending their working lives in an endeavour to alleviate poverty,” he said.
De Beers announced in August last year that it would subsidise ARVs as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for employees and their spouses or life partners.
It said that after engaging the union and in an effort to provide interventions which were in the best interests of all employees, the company would now, under the revised joint policy, provide treatment free of charge to both employees and spouses or life partners.
De Beers and the union still had to resolve the question of ARVs provided to employees and life-partners outside company medical facilities being subject to fringe benefit tax. Taxation would render the treatment unaffordable for many of the intended beneficiaries.
De Beers said that to avoid any further delays, it had in the interim agreed to shoulder the burden of the tax for employees and partners participating in the programme, but intended making a representation to the Department of Finance in due course.
The programme commences on July 1 and will run for a two-year trial period. ‒ Sapa