See also:

• A Guide to Appropriate Language

• Disability and Work (A TUC guide to the law and good practice) (external link to national UNISON web site and opens in a new window)

Disabled Members

UNISON supports the Social Model of Disability.

We believe it is the way society organises that creates barriers to inclusion and prevents disabled people from taking an equal part in life. As a union we campaign on important issues such as:

• Inaccessible workplaces
• Information systems that don't include disabled people's access needs
• Negative attitudes and prejudices from employers

UNISON's priorities on disability are led by the union's own disabled members. Our union is committed to taking on the issues from those who know them best.

Working to improve legal protection for disabled people

We're glad the Government made changes to the Disability Discrimination Act. The new measures should result in additional protection for disabled workers. UNISON are campaigning for present legal loopholes to be filled and for more legal changes needed to establish comprehensive anti-discrimination protection for disabled people in law.

Challenging disability discrimination in the workplace

Unfortunately, UNISON has plenty of evidence of workplace discrimination from the cases taken up on behalf of our disabled members. We issue advice to our disabled members and workplace activists who are negotiating to end to disability discrimination, including on:

• Disability leave
• Better use of government support in open employment
• Improved arrangements for disabled workers health and safety

Building a stronger, more inclusive union

UNISON wants to become a more inclusive and representative union. We support disabled members to be active trade unionists and organise other members for a better deal at work. Disabled members work alongside our non-disabled members and win improvements in partnership for all the workforce.

Disabled Members' Conference, 2006

• 28-31 October - Disabled Member's Conference, Glasgow

Branch Disabilities Officer

• Steven Gallin is based at PLUSS in Exeter and can be contacted
  
  on
  
  or
  
  ☎ Tel: 01392 438329