- Conference
- 2021 National Disabled Members' Conference
- Date
- 3 September 2021
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that the Government’s Disability Strategy was published on 27 July. This followed a period of public consultation via an online survey which has been much criticised. The Government failed to properly consult with Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO’s) and this is currently subject to legal challenge. Consequently, the strategy has received criticism and been described as “tokenistic” and a “tick box exercise”.
Conference also notes that UNISON held an event “Influencing the Disability Strategy” in November 2020, which was attended by DPOs, charities, civil servants. UNISON subsequently wrote to the Minister for Disabled People in February 2021, enclosing a copy of our report Let’s Be Reasonable: disability equality in the workplace, based on a survey of UNISON disabled workers in 2019. Our letter asked that UNISON be consulted on the strategy but the minister was unwilling to meet. UNISON outlined our key “asks” as follows:
1)A step change in the enforcement of reasonable adjustments including significantly increased options for disabled workers to address refusal of adjustments and a mechanism to ensure that requests for reasonable adjustments are responded to in a timely manner by employers
2)An employment strategy for disabled people that focuses on recruitment and retention, to support the recovery from the pandemic
3)Mandatory disability pay gap reporting, alongside mandatory action plans and robust enforcement of both.
None of these asks have been included in the government’s strategy, which is a lost opportunity to make a difference for disabled people.
Surprisingly, the strategy distinguishes between the different legislative framework of the Equality Act 2010 in England, Scotland and Wales and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland and points out that there will be different approaches consistent to devolution arrangements between the UK, Welsh and Scottish governments, and the Northern Ireland Executive. The strategy states that “Underlying the approaches of devolved administrations is the Social Model of Disability” which suggests that this might not be the approach underlying the Westminster Government’s thinking. The social model of disability is the framework in which UNISON organises and campaigns for it’s members, recognising that people are disabled by barriers, environments, discrimination and attitudes and not by their impairments or conditions.
The strategy outlines areas disabled people are experiencing discrimination, crime and barriers including:
• Participation in public life specifically standing for office such as a magistrates, jury service, electoral process
• Inaccessible public transport
• Homes that are not adapted
• Barriers to and in employment and education, lack of reasonable adjustments and lower pay
• limited choice and additional expense when shopping for goods and services
• inaccessible, unresponsive and fragmented public services that do not meet disabled people’s needs
• exclusion from leisure and socialising
• High levels of hate crime and domestic abuse
• Unequal impact of Covid-19 pandemic with some disabled people reporting higher levels of detrimental impact on their well being
In respect of the workplace, 48% of disabled people in employment who responded to the UK Disability Survey agreed or strongly agreed that their employer is flexible and makes sufficient reasonable adjustments for disabled people. However, that still leaves over 50% where the employer is not flexible or does not make sufficient reasonable adjustments. Only a quarter agreed or strongly agreed that their promotion opportunities are the same as their colleagues. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to also have had a detrimental impact on disabled people who were more likely to have experienced a reduction in earnings through redundancy, a reduction in hours, or being furloughed.
Conference believes that the Government proposals to improve employment prospects and experiences in work for disabled people lack ambition and weight. The majority of the proposals in the strategy are voluntary and there are no sanctions for employers who fail to incorporate the measures. For example:
• There are no concrete proposals to improve the enforcement of reasonable adjustments in the workplace, just a vague commitment to “strengthen rights in the workplace”
• Rather than agree to UNISON’s demand for mandatory disability pay gap monitoring, the strategy simply proposes continuing to promote the Voluntary Reporting Framework and consulting on taking this further, and disseminating best practice to employers
• There are still no clear proposals for making sure Disability Confident employers have to actually employ any disabled people at all.
Conference nonetheless welcomes the following suggestions in the strategy:
• Transforming Access to Work and considering an Access to Work Adjustments Passport to support disabled people with their transition into employment, including disabled students leaving education
• A review of Disability Confident
• Scale up supported employment services
• Encourage flexible working and introducing unpaid carers’ leave
However there is a danger these ideas are simply warm words and there is a pressing need to hold the government to account so they become a reality.
Conference believes that the Disability National Strategy does not go far enough and is “smoke and mirrors” whilst giving the impression that the Government is meeting it’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
Conference calls on the National Disabled Members Committee working with relevant structures of UNISON to:
1)Produce a briefing in response to the strategy
2)Continue to campaign for a step-change in enforcement of reasonable adjustments, mandatory disability employment gap monitoring and a robust employment strategy for disabled people in the light of Covid-19.
3)Working with Labour Link to produce an alternative strategy
4)Again request a meeting with the Shadow Minister for Disabled People to discuss the strategy and alternatives