Disabled women workers’ pay gap and professional development

Conference welcomes the recent gender pay investigation, which exposed the gender pay gaps of large companies across the UK. Conference notes that there is no equivalent disability pay investigation, however the Equality and Human Rights Commission noted in its 2017 report that the overall ‘disability pay gap’ is 13.6%. This would suggest that where women […]

Black Disabled Workers and the Disciplinary Process

Conference notes that Black Disabled workers are disproportionately targeted when it comes to disciplinary processes, which is often linked to racism and discrimination as well as a lack of understanding and support for the barriers faced by disabled people, including those with non-visible/non-apparent disabilities. Black disabled people are also over-represented when it comes to capability […]

Breaking down barriers for Neurodiverse Women

Conference notes that “neurodiversity” is a relatively new term that refers to people who have dyslexia, autism, ADHD, dyspraxia or other related conditions that may also stem from a neurological impairment. People with these conditions have a wide range of characteristics but may also share some common features in terms of how they learn and […]

Tackling the disability employment gap: Recruiting and retaining Deaf workers

Conference notes the recent House of Commons Library report on the Disability Employment gap which highlights that just 49% of disabled people between 16 and 64 years old are in employment, compared to over 80% for non disabled people. The disability employment gap therefore stands at over 31%. For Deaf people in particular, finding and […]

Ensuring safe and qualified interpreting services for Deaf people accessing public services

Conference notes that British Sign Language interpreters are regulated by the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD). They hold registers of interpreters for deafblind people, lipspeakers, notetakers, sign language interpreters, sign language translators and speech to text reporters. Conference supports a registration system as a way of ensuring interpreters […]

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is now becoming the recognised name for a group of conditions which affect the brain’s cognitive abilities. The conditions under this umbrella term include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and Dyscalculia, but this is still a developing area of discussion. Some conditions are lifelong and some can be brought on […]

Amendment to Standing Order SO15

In SO15.1.6 after ‘Labour Party Conference’ insert ‘and are Labour Party Members, and’

Mental Health – Equipping the Rep

Conference notes that mental health is an issue for lots of our members as employers fail to make reasonable adjustments to sickness absence policies or to disciplinary and performance management policies. Bullying and harassment of members with mental health problems also continues in our workplaces. As reps we often have to listen and be all […]

Campaigning for Mental Health First-Aiders in the Workplace

Conference, since 1981, workplaces have been required to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and people, to ensure that employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work. Yet in 2018, there is still no requirement for employers to provide mental health first aid assistance to employees. […]

Disability History Month

This conference believes that our National Disabled Members’ Committee and UNISON should celebrate Disability History Month on an annual basis. Disability history month was set up in 2010 to provide a platform to focus on the work that has been done to fight for equality for disabled people. Each year the month has a theme […]

Flexible Working

The landscape for all workers is becoming increasingly difficult in these times of austerity imposed by a Tory Government. As an energy sector, it is all too common to see our call centres becoming outsourced and frustrations around shift patterns are a common theme. Our members are being told that they have to work to […]

Automation, artificial intelligence and robotics in the Water Industry

Conference notes that water and wastewater companies will be including increased use of automation, artificial intelligence and robotics in their business plans for AMP7 (PR19) that they will be submitting to Ofwat. Surveys of senior executives in various industries show that organisations believe the combination of humans and machine intelligence will create a more effective, […]

Potential impact on jobs in water, environment and transport of the Government’s 25 year environment plan

Conference notes the publication in early 2018 of the Government’s 25 year Environment Plan. Environmental stakeholders welcomed its publication, and the long-term vision which it suggested, but were concerned that there were very few concrete policy and legislative measures contained within it. Conference shares these concerns, in particular over the lack of measures that would […]

Defined Benefit Pensions in WET sectors

Conference notes with concern the terrible situation faced by pensioners in Carillion’s pension schemes, following the collapse of the company with a huge pension deficit outstanding. Conference further notes that Carillion paid high levels of executive and director pay, and bonuses, and substantial dividends to shareholders, while not addressing the deficits in its pension schemes. […]

Protecting members’ jobs through assuring good environmental standards following E U exit (Brexit)

Conference recognises that after the UK’s departure from the EU, the European Commission will no longer fulfil the vital function of overseeing and assuring the UK Government’s legislative and policy efforts to maintain and improve our environment. It notes that DEFRA Secretary of State, Michael Gove has proposed a new UK-based body to fulfil this […]