An estimated 105,200 people live with HIV in the UK. Yet recent research by the National AIDS Trust found 63% of the public do not remember seeing or hearing about HIV in the past six months. Only a third said they have sympathy for people living with HIV regardless of how they acquired it. They also found 1 in 5 people think you can acquire HIV through kissing. Only 16% knew if someone is on effective treatment, they can expect to live a long and healthy life and can’t pass the virus on.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name used to describe a number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when your immune system has been severely damaged by the HIV virus. While AIDS cannot be transmitted from one person to another, HIV can. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “We welcome World AIDS Day, which helps to put a focus on year-round efforts to challenge the stigma of HIV and the myths that continue to surround it and that cause real and lasting damage to those living with HIV. I want to thank our workplace reps for the work they are doing to support members with HIV and ensure they understand and are able to assert their rights at work, as they do for all members living with a hidden disability.
“HIV under employment law is one of only five conditions that is considered a disability from the point of diagnosis. People living with HIV are also protected from harassment and victimisation at work, or from being treated unfavourably because of something arising in consequence of their HIV status.
“Employers who are aware of a worker’s HIV positive status must make reasonable adjustments to the workplace environment, to job duties and to policies and procedures to prevent them being disadvantaged at work. That is best achieved in trade union organised workplaces and with the support of a workplace trade union rep.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
World AIDS Day: https://www.worldaidsday.org
Usdaw leaflets about the rights at work for those living with HIV:
- Hidden disabilities: www.usdaw.org.uk/446
- Are you affected by HIV? www.usdaw.org.uk/410
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on BlueSky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion