- Conference
- 2010 National Disabled Members' Conference
- Date
- 6 July 2010
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
This Conference is concerned that the lack of suitable vacancies and significant job losses in the public sector will make it more difficult for all disabled people and those who can no longer carry out their current duties even with reasonable adjustments to retain their employment.
This Conference recognises that the use of an employers ordinary redeployment policy to aid workers seeking to be retained is not adequate and risks tension between disabled workers and workers facing redundancy leading to a divided workforce.
In these circumstances good local agreements and good organisation become even more important.
Conference welcomes Disability SOGs, Equality Co-ordinators including Disability Equality Co-ordinators and Equality Representatives as a significant contribution to the organising agenda.
Conference welcomes the reversal of Malcolm v Lewisham by the Equality Act 2010.
Conferences gives a qualified welcome to the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire v Jelic in that it makes clearer that only looking at existing vacancies and not considering other suggestions put forward is maybe a failure to make a reasonable adjustment.
The current revolving door of hiring disabled workers only to use either absence policies or medical capability processes to fire them at a later date is not consistent with Public Sector Duties.
Conference invites the National Disabled Members Committee to work together with other UNISON bodies to develop and then promote a draft joint agreement on the employment of disabled people and an associated policy on the means for retaining disabled staff.