This Conference is concerned that disabled people may become the first casualties of current job cuts in the public sector. Conference is also concerned that disabled service users will suffer if there are less disabled people employed in the public sector. It is very unusual for any workforce to reflect the percentage of the population […]
Conference motions
This Conference will be concerned that many people were unable to exercise their right to vote in the 2010 elections as they were turned away on the day. Sometimes disabled people don’t get the opportunity to be turned away by the polling officer despite the duty in the Electoral Administration Act 2006 for local authorities […]
Research has discovered that where you used to live could affect your child’s chances of being Autistic. The studies looked at children whose mothers had moved to the UK. From outside Europe too showed an increased risk of Autism in children whose parents had migrants from the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. The group with the […]
Conference believes that experiences of disabled voters, especially at the General Election 2010, expose many barriers that can disenfranchise a disabled voter. In particular we are concerned that the Mental Health Act 1983 bans people who have been sectioned under the Act from standing as Parliamentary candidates in elections. Given the disproportionately high rate of […]
This Conference is concerned that 1 in 4 people in this country will experience a mental health problem in their lives (Mind), and that half a million people are so stressed by their jobs they believe it is making them ill. We believe that discrimination against Disabled LGBT workers leads to higher incidences of stress […]
Conference is concerned that disabled members may not be getting the opportunity to participate fully in policy and decision making processes. We are all aware of the new change in government and in particular the proposed cuts these will bring to public sector services. Where policies are developed or reviewed it is going to be […]
Conference agrees that Mr George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 22 June 2010, delivered a vicious attack on disabled workers when he said that all recipients of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) would be forced to undergo medical examinations to see if they would continue to receive DLA. Many disabled people are able to […]
Conference notes that the term ‘non apparent disability’ is a catch-all phrase that simply means that a person’s impairment or condition is not obviously apparent or visible. Around 70% of people who have a disability in this country have a hidden disability. Delegates will have work colleagues who are disabled but who are not immediately […]
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 […]
This Conference, like the rest of UNISON, will be shocked at the vicious cuts proposed to the public sector in particular in the community and voluntary sectors, by the Coalition Government. Major cuts in the budgets of the public sector will not fail to result in job losses. This Conference applauds the decisive leadership being […]
Conference is concerned that planned changes to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) will force thousands of disabled people into poverty. The WCA is the medical assessment process for individuals claiming Employment and Support Allowance. It identifies how an individual’s health condition or disability affects their ability to work and plays an important role in determining […]
This conference notes Government proposals for severe public sector budget cuts and the already existing evidence that these cuts will affect discriminated against groups, including disabled people, particularly hard. There is also deep concern that many local authorities see cutting services specifically aimed to support disabled and older people as a soft target, thus taking […]
Public Service employers are generally considered to be progressive in giving their employees effective support at work and good terms and conditions of employment. However, some public employers track record in meeting the requirements of their disabled employees, especially those with learning disabilities employed in the manual areas, is much less developed, particularly when it […]
The NHS Staff Survey, the everyday experience of UNISON members and representatives, and the continuing increase in work-related stress all show that one of the most widespread problems faced by UNISON members is the issue of excessive workloads and shortages of staff. These problems occur across all staff groups, both in direct delivery of patient […]
The Bury St Edmunds & District Health Branch of UNISON applauds NHS Bedfordshire for balloting its staff on their proposal to set up a Social Enterprise Board. NHS Bedfordshire needed 51% in favour of the proposal, but the staff had other ideas and responded with a magnificent 97% vote against, in a 98% turnout. Conference […]