Conference is outraged that teaching establishments across the United Kingdom are threatening the recognition of British Sign Language (BSL) and the future of deaf people. We call upon the National Disabled Members’ Committee to work with the National Executive Council to continue to campaign for BSL to be recognised in reality by: 1)challenging proposals to […]
Conference motions
Conference congratulates the Welsh Assembly in agreeing to eliminate the charges that the people of Wales pay for prescription charges. Already reduced to £4 per prescription item, and in the lifetime of the current Welsh Assembly there is commitment to having free prescriptions in Wales by the end of 2006. Conference notes that there are […]
Conference recognises the right of every member to take part in the union’s campaigning activities, including attendance at marches and rallies. It is therefore important that, as with all other areas of the union’s work, steps are taken to ensure such events are fully accessible to disabled members. We therefore call upon the National Disabled […]
Conference is concerned that South East Region has unfortunately discovered that disability and equality awareness is not consistent within all UNISON regional education and training courses. Conference instructs National Disabled Members’ Committee to liaise with the regional education committees to ensure that appropriate disability awareness training is included on all UNISON education and training programmes […]
Many UNISON disabled members that could potentially disadvantage them in the workplace do not identify their individual access requirements. The Disability Discrimination Act definition of a disabled person has recently been extended to define people with MS, HIV and cancer as disabled from a point of diagnosis. We welcome this legislative change as a signal […]
Social workers are now required to register with the General Social Care Council in order to practice legally, and this registration has to be renewed every three years. In so doing they have to complete extensive registration documents that amongst other things ask personal questions within a medical declaration that includes disability status. When completing […]
Conference is aware of the post code lottery existing throughout the NHS. John Reid pledged to end such practices following the report into NHS funding and service provisions in his speech in parliament in July 2004. Whilst Conference applauds the promises made to develop a fairer and equal distribution of health provision, we remain concerned […]
Conference is concerned about inequality inequalities in health service provision for disabled black people. We welcome proposed changes to the Disability Discrimination Act to provide protection from discrimination to people diagnosed with cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis. However we are concerned that inadequate health service provision for disabled black people could result in disadvantage to […]
Conference notes the increasing use of email as a means of communicating with lay members, activists and officers within the union. With this increased use of email some disabled members are being disenfranchised and placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to others for reasons related to their disability. Branches need to be made aware that […]
Conference calls on the National Disabled Members’ Committee to campaign vigorously to the National Executive Council to ensure that all UNISON buildings conform to the Discrimination Disability Act 1995 (DDA) amended regulations relating to disabled access. The union has had five years to update its buildings and we expect UNISON to set an example to […]
Conference remains concerned that public sector employers do not have substantial and positive strategies for employing people with learning and physically disabilities. There are currently over a million disabled people in the UK who want work but cannot access employment. We are particularly concerned that existing arrangements within the disability benefit and tax credit systems […]
We have serious concerns regarding the commitment of the rail industry towards disabled people. Many stations have no ramps or lifts and platforms are only accessible by bridges across the tracks. When stations are refurbished disabled access on them does not improve either which clearly shows a lack of commitment towards disabled people using the […]
Conference welcomes guidance produced by the European Safety and Health Agency that says that health and safety issues should not be used as an excuse for not employing or not continuing to employ disabled people. Its factsheet adds that a workplace that is accessible and safe for disabled people is also safer and more accessible […]
Conference welcomes the government’s response to the report of the joint committee on the draft disability bill with its commitment to extend the Disability Discrimination Act to provide new anti-discrimination measures for people with HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis that will be implemented in December 2005. We are pleased that these disabled people will no […]
The disability two ticks symbol is a charter mark awarded through Job Centre Plus, Department for Works & Pensions (DWP) and is available to any organisation that can prove and attain five standards: 1)to interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities; […]