FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

Conference notes with concern the problems some disabled members encounter in attaining and/or receiving information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; especially whilst requesting information where some constraining time limits are involved. Both the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will not currently send information and letters […]

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FAILURE TO MAKE REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

The Disability Discrimination Acts introduced for the first time a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. The Equality Act outlines three areas where employers and service providers must make reasonable adjustments. These are: a) Adjustments to a provision, criterion or practice; b) Adjustments involving the provision of auxiliary aids and services; and c) […]

FAIR REPRESENTATION FOR DISABLED MEMBERS IN UNISON

This conference is concerned about the level of discrimination currently faced by disabled people including the State Orchestrated Discrimination that this government implements against us on a daily basis. To fight this effectively we need to ensure that disabled people are represented at all levels of society including in our own union. Branches and regions […]

RESERVED DISABLED MEMBERS’ SEATS ON UNISON’S NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

This conference is concerned that positive action measures have been afforded to members of self organised groups that have not been afforded to disabled members, in particular in the union’s advice on the scheme of branch representation and in the union’s rule book provision to address the underrepresentation of women and black members. Whilst this […]

NDMC WORK PROGRAMME

This Conference is concerned that the work programme from the Disabled Members Conference does not appear to have acted upon by Branches and Regions. This Conference is also concerned about the lack of transparency regarding the work of the National Disabled Members Committee Conference therefore calls upon the NDMC to: 1.publish the work programme for […]

FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS AND DISABLED WORKERS

Conference agrees that the flexible working arrangements which have been adopted by employers are of immense value to many disabled workers as well as workers with care commitments for a disabled member of their own household. The fact that employers in the public sector have signed agreements with unions to implement various family and disabled […]

The Big Society and Disabled Workers

The Government’s Big Society idea is not convincing as a progressive vehicle for advancing social justice and equality for disabled workers. For a start its context goes hand in hand with deep and reckless cuts in public spending that are already producing disproportionate reductions in the living standards of disabled people. Government attacks on the […]

Conference Timetable and Regional Meetings

This Conference notes that many Regional Disabled Members Committees hold pre-conference training sessions for delegates to the National Disabled Members’ Conference. However, not all delegates can attend these meetings and it is useful to be able to hold a regional meeting at the conference itself. It can be difficult to timetable such an event in […]

Fighting To Defend Members’ Pension Rights

Conference notes with extreme concern the decision by Severn Trent PLC taken in May 2011 to give notice of its intention to close the final salary based Severn Trent Water Pension Scheme. Sadly most water companies have already closed their final salary schemes to new members with just one small water supply company, Cambridge also […]

On-line campaigning for disabled people

Conference welcomes the growth of on-line communities and social networking and the potential opportunities they offer for on-line activity for young and other disabled people. Conference notes the significant number of entries by disabled people to the “TUC’s 60 second advert” competition 2011. Conference also notes the growth of ‘armchair army’ online campaign groups e.g. […]

Emergency Motion – Government Green Paper -A State pension for the 21st Century – implications for occupational pension schemes in the Water, Environment and Transport Service Group.

“Conference notes that the publication on 5 April 2011 of the Government Consultation Document – “A State pension for the 21st Century” will have significant implications for members of all occupational pension schemes in the Water, Environment and Transport Service Group. The increased National Insurance costs to employers and employees inherent in the Government’s proposals […]

Save Our Buses

Conference welcomes the launch on 1 February 2011of Campaign for Better Transport’s new campaign ‘Save our Buses’. The campaign has been initiated due to the increasing number of local authorities who are looking to save money by reducing the number of socially necessary and school bus services they support because of cuts to government funding. […]

Absence management – HIV and other disabilities

Conference notes employer duties to make reasonable adjustments in their management of disabled employees who are absent from work as a result of their disability. We call on Water Environment and Transport (WET) employers to take their responsibilities seriously, and to pay specific attention to employees living with HIV. Many WET employers are scared or […]

Tackling LGBT discrimination from water, environment and transport customers, colleagues and members of the public

Conference welcomes the 2010 Equality Act – one of the last Labour government’s final pieces of legislation. This provides a wide ranging basis for negotiating in our water, environment and transport (WET) workplaces. It places a duty on every employer, whether in the private or public sector, to protect their employees from discrimination from colleagues, […]

Increase to Retirement Age

With this current Government being hellbent in increasing retirement ages until we drop, companies in the Water, Environment and Transport sector like others may invoke ‘capability’ to get rid of older workers. They tend to be higher paid with better terms and conditions and more likely to ‘challenge the system’ than younger workers. All workers […]