PROTECT UNIVERSAL BENEFITS

On Sunday 7 October 2012, the Prime Minister, David Cameron gave an assurance that he would not cut universal benefits for pensioners such as free bus passes and winter fuel payments. This statement is the exact opposite of that made by his Coalition partner, Nick Clegg who has stated his support for stripping so-called “rich” […]

DISABLED BLUE BADGE

West Midlands Region and Conference calls upon the National Disabled Members Committee (NDMC) to campaign to make Employers recognise that not all disabled employees have blue badges and that they may not be eligible for such a badge but still require car parking provision close to their place of employment. UNISON believes that disabled members […]

New changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

This Conference is gravely concerned that government austerity measures in welfare reform have failed to respond to the access needs of Deaf people in its move from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments. Whilst government has recognised British Sign Language as the fourth indigenous language of the UK it has consistently failed that it […]

Concessionary Travel Funding and Cuts to Services

Conference is concerned that changes to the level of grants paid to Local Authorities for Concessionary Travel on buses will lead to more cuts to public services. There were two types of concessionary bus fares. The statutory concession that local authorities must provide is free bus travel for people over 65 and disabled people on […]

Welfare Reform

This Conference asserts its opposition to the Government’s attacks on the benefit system and that disabled people are at the forefront of these attacks. This Conference is gravely concerned that disabled people will experience substantial detriment from these changes, particularly the replacement of Disability Living Allowance with the so-called Personal Independence Payment .The emerging evidence […]

Disabled People in Rural Communities

Conference acknowledges that many of the cuts in public services have hit rural communities, already poorly served, harder than urban areas. Conference reaffirms that the position of disabled people living in rural communities is particularly disadvantageous partly due to the fact that they are often on a lower income and also more reliant on public […]

Disabled Member’s right to travel; a concession under threat

This Conference is appalled to learn that almost as soon as disabled people have been afforded the right of freedom to be mobile throughout the country by extended facilities to concessionary fares their right to mobility has been stripped away by local authorities’ decision to withdraw provision as part of their response to government funding […]

Government austerity measures and their impact on the Social Model

This Conference reaffirms UNISON’s policy position to support the Social Model of Disability as the appropriate interpretation of the cause of exclusion, discrimination and barriers that prevent equal participation of disabled people in society. We object to this Government’s austerity measures as the solution to economic recovery which are causing a retrograde position for disabled […]

Work Capacity Assessment and the Denial of Disability

This conference rejects without qualification the revised Work Capability Assessment (WCA) that underpins the Government’s drive to deny people who are sick or disabled the financial support they need because they cannot secure paid work. Thousands of disabled people’s lives are being turned upside down by the new assessment regime used to decide eligibility for […]

Outsourcing, procurement and shared services – the adverse impact on disabled workers

Conference views with increasing concern, the acceleration of the outsourcing, procurement and sharing of public sector services. In many cases the default position of most public sector service providers it to “soft market test” their services in order to identify a “preferred bidder” for the eventual privatisation of services. This will normally be the prelude […]

Fit Notes

Conference the fit note replaced the sick note system on the 6th April 2010 and yet people still refer to it as a sick note. The fit note system states that if an individual wishes to return to work before the date specified on the fit note they can do so without seeing their doctor. […]

Transport Cuts and Disabled People

Conference is concerned about the level of bus services in both towns and rural areas of the country. These are being cut because of the policies of this Tory led Government. While transport in London is being improved and expanded the rest of the country are suffering. Bus services were supported by the previous Labour […]

Apprentices and Volunteers – They Also Need Access to Work!

This Conference is concerned that government claims it is aiming to improve work opportunities for disabled people as part of its overall welfare reform strategy by expanding the number of volunteer opportunities as a route into paid work and by improving young people’s opportunity to access the skilled labour market through apprenticeship schemes; neither unpaid […]

Accessible public transport

Disabled people are restricted in their mobility due to a lack of accessible public transport. There are very few hackney carriages that can take motorised wheelchairs. There is restricted space on public buses to accommodate disabled users. There are not enough accessible facilities on trains to accommodate disabled users. There is a shortage of private […]

Workplace assessments

This conference notes the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance for employers on workplace risk assessments for workers with disabilities or long-term health conditions, which includes the following advice: • Involve disabled applicants and employees – appreciate the skills and insight they may have to find the best outcome; • Work together with disabled applicants and […]