By Angela Hamilton, who represents disabled members on UNISON’s national executive council
UK Disability History Month runs from 14 November to 20 December. This year’s theme, Livelihood and Employment, recognises the valuable role disabled people play at work and in society.
The disability employment gap shows no sign of ending, with disabled people twice as likely as non‑disabled people to be unemployed.
Discrimination against disabled people is unlawful, but surveys of UNISON’s disabled members always find that chronic delays in responding to reasonable adjustment requests are causing needless distress.
The Disability Employment Charter
UNISON is one six founding members of the Disability Employment Charter, which has nine key demands to improve the working lives of disabled people.
We are thrilled that over 220 employers have signed the charter, but we want more public sector organisations signing up in 2025.
Evidence shows that employing disabled people gives employers a more diverse pool of talent, wider skillsets and improves morale for all employees.
Now is the time to ask your employer to make a commitment to supporting disabled employees by signing the charter. You could even ask them to start publishing their disability pay gap data now instead of waiting for new legislation.
A message to government – nothing about us without us
UNISON welcomed Labour’s manifesto commitment to introducing the right to equal pay for disabled people, and disability and ethnicity pay gap reporting for large employers. The current disability pay gap is 17.2% – or a staggering £4,500 a year less for a full-time employee.
The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill promised in the king’s speech must be about more than equal pay. It must resolve the Access to Work backlog and reform benefits so disabled people can try a job without losing money if it does not work out. Better access to employment support and reasonable adjustments is also vital. UNISON will also hold the government to its promise to break down barriers to opportunity for disabled people.
UNISON is delighted that minister for social security and disability, Stephen Timms, has announced plans for every government department to have a minister to lead on disability. After 14 years of Tory neglect and demonisation, we welcome any opportunity for disabled people to be involved in decision making.
But this announcement does not make up for our disappointment at the prime minister choosing not to appoint a dedicated minister for disabled people. We are also concerned about the impact of the decision to cut winter fuel payments for thousands of disabled pensioners and we will continue to lobby on their behalf.
Ensuring the voices of disabled members are heard
It’s not too late to promote UK Disability History Month and organise in your workplace. You could encourage people to become active in disabled members or advocate for disability equality at work.
You could also consider standing to be a branch disabled members’ officer at your annual general meeting. We offer disabled members’ officer training several times a year where you can learn about representing members and including disabled members issues when you’re negotiating or bargaining.
If you want to know more about disability equality work in UNISON email disabilityissues@unison.co.uk.
The article Opinion: Inspiring action and change for disabled workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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