Caucus Meetings at National Disabled Members’ Conference

The National Womens Caucus is disappointed that only 15 mins was allocated to them for their caucus meeting. Due to other meetings overrunning it meant that the Womens Caucus meeting was rushed & that they did not have sufficient time to discuss their issues. The Womens Caucus therefore call upon the NDMC when planning their […]

Shared Space

Shared Space This Conference welcomes the launching of a report on Shared Surfaces by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on September 15, 2006. This report is also welcomed by a number of other disability organisations including the British Council of Disabled People (BCODP) and outlines the affect on blind and partially sighted and […]

Disability Discrimination Act

West Midlands Regional Disabled Self-Organised Forum notes that with the further provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act coming into effect on the 4 December 2006 instructs the National Disabled Members Committee to work with both National and Regional Unison Education Officers to produce and provide a specialised training programme for Lay Activists and Staff in […]

DISABLED PERSONS RAILCARDS – VALIDITY ON LONDON UNDERGROUND

Disabled people who hold a Disabled Persons Railcard have derived much benefit from the fact that they can economically access the national railway network. It is therefore difficult for a Disabled Persons Railcard holder to find that Transport for London do not recognise the Disabled Persons Railcard as a document on which the holder can […]

ASBO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NEURODIVERSE DISEASE

Conference is concerned about the Government’s respect initiative, in particular its effect on people who are neurodiverse. Conference recognises that neurodiverse people are often extremely marginalise. Many face daily harassment and discrimination due to the failure of society to acknowledge and meet their support/needs. Conference believes that anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) are being served on […]

Employment and Disability (Access to Work)

This Conference notes that: 1)There are 6.8 million disabled people of working age in Britain – 1 in 5 of the total working population. 2)Only 50% of disabled people of working age are in employment compared to 81% of non-disabled people. 3)1 million disabled people without a job want to work 4)The average gross hourly […]

Amendment to NDMC constitution 01

1)Item i) first paragraph, last sentance “Such members must be Deaf native British Sign Language Users and at least one shall be a woman”. Delete native as British Sign Language Users and insert and/or Hearing impaired 2)Item vii) where members are listed Deaf Members insert and/or Hearing Impaired

RIGHT OF ENTRY FOR ALL ASSISTANCE DOGS

Assistance Dogs not only make available a specific service to their handlers, but also develop their lives to the highest degree with a new sense of freedom and liberty. The goals regarding individuals with disabilities are to guarantee equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and financially viable independence. The use of Assistance dogs helps […]

Pensions and Black Minority Ethnic Community Members

This Conference accepts a wide range of evidence that Black people are known to be concentrated in low paid, low skilled jobs and that their life expectancy is considerably lower than white workers. There is also research evidence that demonstrates a higher risk of workplace accidents and injuries for low paid workers, it therefore follows […]

Access to work and BSL Users

Access to work is the right of every British Sign Language User, it is a functional employment right. It is an essential part of our employment opportunities to have Sign Language Interpreters to enable effective communication with other employers and provide equal access of communication within the workplace, both externally and internally. Without communication support […]

The Disability Equality Duty and Disclosure of Disability

This conference welcomes the changes to the Disability Discrimination Act that introduce new Disability Equality Duties (DED) upon public authorities from December 2006. We recognise the valuable requirement for employers and service providers to involve disabled employees and service users in order that institutional disability discrimination can be eliminated rather that the current individualised reasonable […]

Cultural/Linguistic Model of Deaf

This Conference recognises and welcomes the ongoing work being done on the British Sign Language Project since British Sign Language was recognised by Governments as the fourth indigenous language of the United Kingdom 2003. Conference notes the growing recognition of the need to combat discrimination against Deaf people as a marginalised group within society. We […]

Incapacity Benefit Green Paper

Conference welcomes the Governments commitment to supporting disabled people into work. However, conference is concerned that the proposals on welfare reform focus on sanctions, rather than on removing the barriers that disabled people face in accessing the labour market. High levels of unemployment and discrimination make it hard for disabled people to gain and retain […]

Disclosure of Disability Status

This Conference recognises the disproportionate incidence of disability status of women compared with men. Women experience female organ Cancers of the cervix and uterus, twice as many women than men are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and the incidence of mental health impairment is considerably higher for women than men. The impairment consequences of Female Genital […]

Campaign for BSL Act

Conference applauds Government for recognising British Sign Language as the fourth indigenous language of the United Kingdom 18th March 2003. We applaud the Disability Equality Duty that requires public authorities to produce Disability Equality Schemes. However, we have concerns that the Duty does not recognise the cultural/linguistic model which is a vital part of Deaf […]