STRETCHING TARGETS FOR DISABLED EMPLOYEES SO THEY REFLECT THE POPULATON

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 […]

ACCESS TO VOTING AND POLLING STATIONS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

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 […]

ACCESS TO DEMOCRACY

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 […]

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

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 […]

HIDDEN BUT STILL HERE

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 […]

ABILITY TO INFLUENCE

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 […]

STOP THE UNECCESSARY MEDICALS

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 […]

HIDDEN DISABILITY

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 […]

RECESSION JOB CUTS AND THE RETENTION OF DISABLED PEOPLE

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 […]

PUBLIC SECTOR CUTS AND DISABLED MEMBERS

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 […]

Work Capability Assessment

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 […]

USING THE EQUALITY ACT TO PROTECT DISABLED MEMBERS

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 FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND DISABLED EMPLOYEES REQUIREMENTS

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 […]

Public Sector Ownership and Employment

Conference notes both Conservative and Labour parties are promoting co-operatives and mutuals for the public sector. The recognition, however rhetorically, of the importance of worker involvement as an essential condition for improving public services is welcome. On the other hand there is a serious danger, especially in the current context of cuts in public spending […]

Completion of the Good Friday Agreement

The UK government has betrayed the people of Northern Ireland by its rejection of proposals for a Bill of Rights which have the overwhelming support of all communities and the trade union movement. Ignoring the will of the people and the intensive work that has gone into this process over two decades is both disrespectful […]