- Conference
- 2026 National Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 7 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the Higher Education (HE) sector across the UK in turmoil and seeing widespread staffing cuts, restructures, and redundancy programmes. Disabled staff are disproportionately affected by these cuts due to structural inequalities, discrimination, and a lack of proper implementation of reasonable adjustments. Many disabled workers in HE are employed on part-time, fixed-term, or lower-grade contracts, which increases their vulnerability. Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs), where conducted, are often inadequate or not meaningfully used to prevent discriminatory outcomes. The failure to protect disabled workers in this context undermines inclusive workplaces and may breach the Equality Act 2010.
In addition, disabled workers often face specific risks and barriers during staffing cuts that require proactive and tailored union support. HE employers must be held accountable for properly assessing and mitigating the impact of staffing decisions on equality groups. UNISON has a critical role in defending the rights and employment of disabled members.
Conference therefore calls upon the Higher Education Service Group Executive to:
1)Campaign nationally against staffing cuts in HE, with a specific focus on their impact on disabled workers;
2)Call on all HE employers to carry out robust and transparent Equality Impact Assessments prior to any staffing restructure, with full trade union involvement;
3)Work with UNISON’s Regional Higher Education Service Groups, National and Regional Disabled Members Committees to:
a)Develop HE sector-specific guidance for branches on supporting disabled members during restructures;
b)Share good practice on securing and maintaining reasonable adjustments through change processes;
c)Collect evidence and case studies to inform national campaigns;
d)Encourage HE branches to ensure disabled members are represented on joint negotiating committees and equality forums, particularly during periods of organisational change;
e)Work with Learning and Organising Services (LAOS) and regions to update content on supporting disabled workers during staffing reviews specifically for reps in the HE Sector.