Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea has written to the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, urging him to make “real and positive change” for disabled workers, after the disappointment of yesterday’s autumn statement.

“If this government is serious about helping disabled people in the workplace, it needs to tackle the root cause of what makes working life so difficult for so many of them,” she writes. “Threatening benefit cuts or accusing disabled people of ‘not doing their duty’ achieves nothing.”

Ms McAnea was writing on behalf of 200,000 disabled workers who are members of UNISON. She noted that benefit changes announced in the autumn statement to supposedly encourage disabled people to work from home will, in fact, significantly reduce the income of those who aren’t able to do that.

At the same time, she said, “disabled people are being pushed out of the workforce due to a refusal from employers and government to provide the support they need to be able to get on at work.”

In a recent UNISON survey, three-quarters of disabled people said they had been refused some or all of the reasonable adjustments they need to do their job. Even where reasonable adjustments were agreed by the employer, a quarter of disabled people said they waited a year or more for them to be implemented.

“Being refused reasonable adjustments, or having to wait for their implementation, can leave disabled workers struggling with pain and fatigue, which then has an impact on their performance and productivity,” Ms McAnea writes.

“The way to support disabled people in the workplace is to ensure their reasonable adjustment requests are taken seriously, strengthen the right to disability leave and cut waiting lists for people to access the access to work scheme.”

These are all key elements of the disability employment charter, of which UNISON is one of the founding organisations. UNISON has met with the minister for disabled people, health and work to discuss the charter. Concluding her letter, Ms McAnea requested a similar meeting with the chancellor.

The article Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea has written to the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, urging him to make “real and positive change” for disabled workers, after the disappointment of yesterday’s autumn statement.

“If this government is serious about helping disabled people in the workplace, it needs to tackle the root cause of what makes working life so difficult for so many of them,” she writes. “Threatening benefit cuts or accusing disabled people of ‘not doing their duty’ achieves nothing.”

Ms McAnea was writing on behalf of 200,000 disabled workers who are members of UNISON. She noted that benefit changes announced in the autumn statement to supposedly encourage disabled people to work from home will, in fact, significantly reduce the income of those who aren’t able to do that.

At the same time, she said, “disabled people are being pushed out of the workforce due to a refusal from employers and government to provide the support they need to be able to get on at work.”

In a recent UNISON survey, three-quarters of disabled people said they had been refused some or all of the reasonable adjustments they need to do their job. Even where reasonable adjustments were agreed by the employer, a quarter of disabled people said they waited a year or more for them to be implemented.

“Being refused reasonable adjustments, or having to wait for their implementation, can leave disabled workers struggling with pain and fatigue, which then has an impact on their performance and productivity,” Ms McAnea writes.

“The way to support disabled people in the workplace is to ensure their reasonable adjustment requests are taken seriously, strengthen the right to disability leave and cut waiting lists for people to access the access to work scheme.”

These are all key elements of the disability employment charter, of which UNISON is one of the founding organisations. UNISON has met with the minister for disabled people, health and work to discuss the charter. Concluding her letter, Ms McAnea requested a similar meeting with the chancellor.

The article Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘Pay gaps exist because no one is looking,’ disabled members hear

Delegates at this year’s disabled members conference yesterday debated a range of issues that affect their members.

The motion ‘mind the pay gap’ noted that, even for those disabled people in work, the disability pay gap is growing and now stands at a shocking 17.2% or £3,700 less a year than non-disabled workers.

Looking also at the pay gaps across other equality strands, the motion notes that since gender pay gap reporting has been required, for organisations with more than 250 employees, there has been an improvement – from 18.4% in 2017 down to 14.9% in 2022.

And it states: “It is becoming clear that, until organisations are held to account, they will not take responsibility and they will not take action.”

Pay gap ‘an issue across all identities’

Lucy Power from the Kent Police and Justice branch (pictured above) introduced the motion on behalf of the disabled LGBT+ committee.

She told delegates: “The pay gap is an issue across all identities. As a woman, you’re more than likely to be impacted by the gender pay gap. Add disability into that mix, and then, for good measure, chuck in race and gender identity or sexual orientation. What started as a single impact has started impacting doubly, triply, quadruply.

“The fact is that these other pay gaps exist because no one is looking. Since gender pay gap reporting was introduced it has decreased, while other pay gaps appear to be increasing. It is time to act.”

She said that for employers to report pay gaps, they had to know their workforce. “And they can’t know their workforce if their workforce doesn’t trust them enough to declare their particular protected characteristic.”

Workers are often reluctant to declare protected characteristics due to stigma, and the perceived detrimental effect on promotion or workplace development.

This particularly affects disabled workers, and especially LGBT+ workers who may not be ‘out’ at work. In many sectors, workers have no confidence that their employer will handle that data with appropriate security and regard.

Delegates called on the disabled members committee to follow an effectively two-pronged approach:

  • Working with organisations on safeguarding their workers’ data, to instil confidence in reporting disability and other equality related data
  • Campaign for the mandatory annual reporting by all employers with over 250 employees, of the numbers of disabled, LGBT+, and black workers employed, at what levels, and the pay gaps associated with each of those characteristics.

Ms Power concluded: “Conference, we believe the pay gap issue is one that can be tackled and must be tackled. And if this government won’t act, we must encourage our organisations to take the lead.”

National care service

Delegates also passed a motion on developing UNISON’s vision of a national care service, which reasserted the belief that all social care should be provided as a funded, universal service that is free at the point of delivery service and works in the interests of all.

This would mean an end to private companies making profit out of care, and a commitment to deliver care services primarily through local government. Fair work, decent pay and improved status should be the norm for all care workers.

Photo of Denise Thomas speaking at the UNISON podium

Moving the motion, Denise Thomas of the national disabled members committee (pictured above) told delegates: “Time and time again we see the money for social care being syphoned out of the care sector to faceless corporations and shareholders. Social care is being asset stripped and people with disabilities, care workers and the most vulnerable in our society are paying the price.

“In a world where demographics are shifting, where the elderly and disabled population is growing, our current approach to care is unsustainable.”

Ms Thomas said that UNISON’s vision for a national care service would “revolutionise the way we approach care in our nation.” For disabled people, this would mean greater access to care, including medical and non-medical assistance, personalised care plans, and empowerment – to live more independently, participate in their communities and have a stronger voice in decisions affecting their lives.

Sean Fox, of Haringey local government branch agreed. “A national care service is not just a badge,” he said. “We need a publicly owned and properly funded care service.”

Health and disability white paper

A motion on the government’s health and disability white paper, which was published in March this year, called it “an attack on disabled people’s income and independence”.

The government claims the new set of policies related to welfare benefits will help more disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

However, delegates agreed that the opposite is true and that the key changes will push disabled people further into financial hardship, at a time when they are already experiencing the sharp end of the cost of living scandal.

For example, the introduction of personal independence payments (PIP) – adult disability payments in Scotland – as the qualifier to exempt people from looking for work “is just a ploy to force more disabled people into work whether or not they are ready for it, and to pay them less money in universal credit,” the motion said.

Sonya Howard speaking at the UNISON podium

Moving the motion for the national disabled members’ committee, Sonya Howard (pictured above) observed: “We live in a society that has negative assumptions about disabled people and we need to change this false narrative, to gain both political and social progress that is long overdue.”

In passing the motion, delegates charged the committee to:

  • Widely publicise the proposed changes to the benefits system and their potential negative impact on disabled people’s income and independence.
  • Work through UNISON Labour Link to lobby the Labour Party to develop a realistic and supportive plan to reform the welfare benefits system, so that it puts the needs and independence of disabled people at its heart.

Among other subjects discussed during a wide-ranging conference was a motion that noted the “huge lack of understanding” about neurodiversity in society, particularly in relation to women.

The disabled members committee is to consider working with neurodiverse members to develop guidance on neurodiversity in the workplace, which includes specific reference to the challenges faced by women workers with neurodiverse conditions.

Living with neurodiversity

The article ‘Pay gaps exist because no one is looking,’ disabled members hear first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘Pay gaps exist because no one is looking,’ disabled members hear

Delegates at this year’s disabled members conference yesterday debated a range of issues that affect their members.

The motion ‘mind the pay gap’ noted that, even for those disabled people in work, the disability pay gap is growing and now stands at a shocking 17.2% or £3,700 less a year than non-disabled workers.

Looking also at the pay gaps across other equality strands, the motion notes that since gender pay gap reporting has been required, for organisations with more than 250 employees, there has been an improvement – from 18.4% in 2017 down to 14.9% in 2022.

And it states: “It is becoming clear that, until organisations are held to account, they will not take responsibility and they will not take action.”

Pay gap ‘an issue across all identities’

Lucy Power from the Kent Police and Justice branch (pictured above) introduced the motion on behalf of the disabled LGBT+ committee.

She told delegates: “The pay gap is an issue across all identities. As a woman, you’re more than likely to be impacted by the gender pay gap. Add disability into that mix, and then, for good measure, chuck in race and gender identity or sexual orientation. What started as a single impact has started impacting doubly, triply, quadruply.

“The fact is that these other pay gaps exist because no one is looking. Since gender pay gap reporting was introduced it has decreased, while other pay gaps appear to be increasing. It is time to act.”

She said that for employers to report pay gaps, they had to know their workforce. “And they can’t know their workforce if their workforce doesn’t trust them enough to declare their particular protected characteristic.”

Workers are often reluctant to declare protected characteristics due to stigma, and the perceived detrimental effect on promotion or workplace development.

This particularly affects disabled workers, and especially LGBT+ workers who may not be ‘out’ at work. In many sectors, workers have no confidence that their employer will handle that data with appropriate security and regard.

Delegates called on the disabled members committee to follow an effectively two-pronged approach:

  • Working with organisations on safeguarding their workers’ data, to instil confidence in reporting disability and other equality related data
  • Campaign for the mandatory annual reporting by all employers with over 250 employees, of the numbers of disabled, LGBT+, and black workers employed, at what levels, and the pay gaps associated with each of those characteristics.

Ms Power concluded: “Conference, we believe the pay gap issue is one that can be tackled and must be tackled. And if this government won’t act, we must encourage our organisations to take the lead.”

National care service

Delegates also passed a motion on developing UNISON’s vision of a national care service, which reasserted the belief that all social care should be provided as a funded, universal service that is free at the point of delivery service and works in the interests of all.

This would mean an end to private companies making profit out of care, and a commitment to deliver care services primarily through local government. Fair work, decent pay and improved status should be the norm for all care workers.

Photo of Denise Thomas speaking at the UNISON podium

Moving the motion, Denise Thomas of the national disabled members committee (pictured above) told delegates: “Time and time again we see the money for social care being syphoned out of the care sector to faceless corporations and shareholders. Social care is being asset stripped and people with disabilities, care workers and the most vulnerable in our society are paying the price.

“In a world where demographics are shifting, where the elderly and disabled population is growing, our current approach to care is unsustainable.”

Ms Thomas said that UNISON’s vision for a national care service would “revolutionise the way we approach care in our nation.” For disabled people, this would mean greater access to care, including medical and non-medical assistance, personalised care plans, and empowerment – to live more independently, participate in their communities and have a stronger voice in decisions affecting their lives.

Sean Fox, of Haringey local government branch agreed. “A national care service is not just a badge,” he said. “We need a publicly owned and properly funded care service.”

Health and disability white paper

A motion on the government’s health and disability white paper, which was published in March this year, called it “an attack on disabled people’s income and independence”.

The government claims the new set of policies related to welfare benefits will help more disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

However, delegates agreed that the opposite is true and that the key changes will push disabled people further into financial hardship, at a time when they are already experiencing the sharp end of the cost of living scandal.

For example, the introduction of personal independence payments (PIP) – adult disability payments in Scotland – as the qualifier to exempt people from looking for work “is just a ploy to force more disabled people into work whether or not they are ready for it, and to pay them less money in universal credit,” the motion said.

Sonya Howard speaking at the UNISON podium

Moving the motion for the national disabled members’ committee, Sonya Howard (pictured above) observed: “We live in a society that has negative assumptions about disabled people and we need to change this false narrative, to gain both political and social progress that is long overdue.”

In passing the motion, delegates charged the committee to:

  • Widely publicise the proposed changes to the benefits system and their potential negative impact on disabled people’s income and independence.
  • Work through UNISON Labour Link to lobby the Labour Party to develop a realistic and supportive plan to reform the welfare benefits system, so that it puts the needs and independence of disabled people at its heart.

Among other subjects discussed during a wide-ranging conference was a motion that noted the “huge lack of understanding” about neurodiversity in society, particularly in relation to women.

The disabled members committee is to consider working with neurodiverse members to develop guidance on neurodiversity in the workplace, which includes specific reference to the challenges faced by women workers with neurodiverse conditions.

Living with neurodiversity

The article ‘Pay gaps exist because no one is looking,’ disabled members hear first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Disabled people should be asking employers if they are ‘fit to employ’

Scottish Labour politician Pam Duncan-Glancy (pictured above) underlined the need to increase the confidence of disabled people to self-define in the workplace, when she addressed UNISON’s disabled members conference yesterday.

Referencing one important aspect of the union’s 2022 Year of Disabled Workers, she said: “Self-defining as disabled is how we elevate our rights in the workplace, boardroom and, yes, in parliament.

“That’s how we turn the whole thing on it’s head. That’s how we make sure we force employers to ask themselves if they are fit to employ.

“When we empower more people to say they’re disabled, and not fear telling people, we empower them to claim their rights, and we grow our movement.”

Glasgow MP Ms Duncan-Glancy is also Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for education in the Scottish Parliament. She describes herself as a “proud disabled member” of UNISON and a disability equality and human rights activist.

She praised the conference for its work during the year of disabled workers, which “brought the plight of our members to the forefront of everyone’s minds.

“You worked tirelessly to highlight the importance of changes to the workplace and working practices to support disabled workers, explain the disability pay gap and employment gap, and to increase confidence to self-define as disabled.

“In doing that, you gave me the permission to take the message all the way to parliament.”

The MSP spoke of how the cost of living scandal is affecting disabled people more than most.

“Cuts to social care are causing our friends to be stuck at home. Poor practise after COVID is leaving disabled people at a disadvantage,” she said.

“Comrades, I thought the pandemic might be an opportunity to reset, to show that what was once considered an unreasonable adjustment is now not just reasonable – as it always was – but is good for the workplace.

“We were promised the ‘new normal’ would be better, but the truth is, it’s looking quite like the old normal, plus more austerity and fewer options.”

Only 46% of disabled people are in work in Scotland, compared to 81% of non-disabled people, she said.

“We are only half as likely to get a job. And we have told the government, in no uncertain terms, that this is not due to a lack of desire to work.

“It is fundamentally down to a lack of support, a failure of systems and structures to take account of disabled people’s needs and rights, or of reasonable adjustments. And yes, it is down to discrimination.”

Ms Duncan-Glancy told delegates that the union’s work was changing lives.

“It has shifted the focus from the disabled worker being a hassle or a cost, to one where we’re proud to stand up for our rights.

“Friends, we’ve all heard of fit for work assessments? Well I say today, it’s time to ensure that employers are fit to employ.”

The article Disabled people should be asking employers if they are ‘fit to employ’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Disabled people should be asking employers if they are ‘fit to employ’

Scottish Labour politician Pam Duncan-Glancy (pictured above) underlined the need to increase the confidence of disabled people to self-define in the workplace, when she addressed UNISON’s disabled members conference yesterday.

Referencing one important aspect of the union’s 2022 Year of Disabled Workers, she said: “Self-defining as disabled is how we elevate our rights in the workplace, boardroom and, yes, in parliament.

“That’s how we turn the whole thing on it’s head. That’s how we make sure we force employers to ask themselves if they are fit to employ.

“When we empower more people to say they’re disabled, and not fear telling people, we empower them to claim their rights, and we grow our movement.”

Glasgow MP Ms Duncan-Glancy is also Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for education in the Scottish Parliament. She describes herself as a “proud disabled member” of UNISON and a disability equality and human rights activist.

She praised the conference for its work during the year of disabled workers, which “brought the plight of our members to the forefront of everyone’s minds.

“You worked tirelessly to highlight the importance of changes to the workplace and working practices to support disabled workers, explain the disability pay gap and employment gap, and to increase confidence to self-define as disabled.

“In doing that, you gave me the permission to take the message all the way to parliament.”

The MSP spoke of how the cost of living scandal is affecting disabled people more than most.

“Cuts to social care are causing our friends to be stuck at home. Poor practise after COVID is leaving disabled people at a disadvantage,” she said.

“Comrades, I thought the pandemic might be an opportunity to reset, to show that what was once considered an unreasonable adjustment is now not just reasonable – as it always was – but is good for the workplace.

“We were promised the ‘new normal’ would be better, but the truth is, it’s looking quite like the old normal, plus more austerity and fewer options.”

Only 46% of disabled people are in work in Scotland, compared to 81% of non-disabled people, she said.

“We are only half as likely to get a job. And we have told the government, in no uncertain terms, that this is not due to a lack of desire to work.

“It is fundamentally down to a lack of support, a failure of systems and structures to take account of disabled people’s needs and rights, or of reasonable adjustments. And yes, it is down to discrimination.”

Ms Duncan-Glancy told delegates that the union’s work was changing lives.

“It has shifted the focus from the disabled worker being a hassle or a cost, to one where we’re proud to stand up for our rights.

“Friends, we’ve all heard of fit for work assessments? Well I say today, it’s time to ensure that employers are fit to employ.”

The article Disabled people should be asking employers if they are ‘fit to employ’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Disabled members look towards the general election

UNISON’s disabled members conference opened in Edinburgh at the weekend with a review of the union’s achievements over the past year in relation to disability equality, but also a disturbing picture of the problems that continue to be faced by members.

Amanda Sweetlove, deputy co-chair of the disabled members committee (pictured above), moved the annual report to delegates of what was their largest ever conference.

Ms Sweetlove reported that the committee had been “extremely busy” building on the successes of the 2022 year of disabled workers and embedding its focus on disability equality into all of UNISON’s work.

“Some of our priorities were hybrid working, Access to Work, the cost of living crisis, reasonable adjustments and disability passports, to name a few,” she said.

“We have trained scores of new branch disability officers, seen more disability policies and passports negotiated in our workplaces and achieved more than 150 employer sign-ups to the disability employment charter.”

UNISON is a founding member of the ground-breaking charter, a set of nine demands of government that includes a new, two-week deadline for responses to reasonable adjustment requests.

And with a general election around the corner, the union has been busily promoting the charter to both government and opposition. The annual report notes that UNISON has successfully negotiated for five of the charter’s asks to be included in the Labour policy platform:

  • mandatory publication of the disability pay gap, for any employer with more than 250 employees
  • a simpler and more timely process for getting reasonable adjustments
  • statutory time off for equality reps
  • expanding access to statutory sick pay
  • extending procurement rules to include equality issues.

“These are significant wins for UNISON and our partners and could see a step change for disability equality in the event of a Labour government coming to power,” the report states.

Addressing conference by video message (below), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea also reported on the union’s campaigning work in support of the charter, the success of which is to be celebrated at a Parliament event in December.

She added that was the work of delegates, the disabled members committee and staff that ensured UNISON was “the foremost campaigning organisation for disabled workers in the UK.”

Meanwhile, Ms Sweetlove told delegates that many of the problems faced by disabled members have been worsened by the current government’s poor handling of the post-COVID recovery.

“COVID has highlighted previously hidden issues disabled members have always suffered, in relation to accessibility and the need for reasonable adjustments. Disabled members have been fighting for years to highlight these barriers and, disappointedly, in 2023 our fight is still an uphill battle.

“Sadly, our disabled members have not received any extra help or protection during this period of grave decline and this Tory government continues to fail us miserably,” she continued. “Even sadder, is the fact they appear not to care.”

She said that, post-COVID, there had been a “massive rise” in the diagnosis of neurodiverse conditions. “It is also a horrific statement to make, but the fact is our suicide rates have become an agonising and overwhelming statistic.

“What we need in our workplaces, and what we hope to achieve, is a recognition of disabled members and the basic, humanitarian approach of collective, compassionate leadership from our employers – to ensure members with these conditions are embraced, protected, and valued.”

The article Disabled members look towards the general election first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Disabled members look towards the general election

UNISON’s disabled members conference opened in Edinburgh at the weekend with a review of the union’s achievements over the past year in relation to disability equality, but also a disturbing picture of the problems that continue to be faced by members.

Amanda Sweetlove, deputy co-chair of the disabled members committee (pictured above), moved the annual report to delegates of what was their largest ever conference.

Ms Sweetlove reported that the committee had been “extremely busy” building on the successes of the 2022 year of disabled workers and embedding its focus on disability equality into all of UNISON’s work.

“Some of our priorities were hybrid working, Access to Work, the cost of living crisis, reasonable adjustments and disability passports, to name a few,” she said.

“We have trained scores of new branch disability officers, seen more disability policies and passports negotiated in our workplaces and achieved more than 150 employer sign-ups to the disability employment charter.”

UNISON is a founding member of the ground-breaking charter, a set of nine demands of government that includes a new, two-week deadline for responses to reasonable adjustment requests.

And with a general election around the corner, the union has been busily promoting the charter to both government and opposition. The annual report notes that UNISON has successfully negotiated for five of the charter’s asks to be included in the Labour policy platform:

  • mandatory publication of the disability pay gap, for any employer with more than 250 employees
  • a simpler and more timely process for getting reasonable adjustments
  • statutory time off for equality reps
  • expanding access to statutory sick pay
  • extending procurement rules to include equality issues.

“These are significant wins for UNISON and our partners and could see a step change for disability equality in the event of a Labour government coming to power,” the report states.

Addressing conference by video message (below), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea also reported on the union’s campaigning work in support of the charter, the success of which is to be celebrated at a Parliament event in December.

She added that was the work of delegates, the disabled members committee and staff that ensured UNISON was “the foremost campaigning organisation for disabled workers in the UK.”

Meanwhile, Ms Sweetlove told delegates that many of the problems faced by disabled members have been worsened by the current government’s poor handling of the post-COVID recovery.

“COVID has highlighted previously hidden issues disabled members have always suffered, in relation to accessibility and the need for reasonable adjustments. Disabled members have been fighting for years to highlight these barriers and, disappointedly, in 2023 our fight is still an uphill battle.

“Sadly, our disabled members have not received any extra help or protection during this period of grave decline and this Tory government continues to fail us miserably,” she continued. “Even sadder, is the fact they appear not to care.”

She said that, post-COVID, there had been a “massive rise” in the diagnosis of neurodiverse conditions. “It is also a horrific statement to make, but the fact is our suicide rates have become an agonising and overwhelming statistic.

“What we need in our workplaces, and what we hope to achieve, is a recognition of disabled members and the basic, humanitarian approach of collective, compassionate leadership from our employers – to ensure members with these conditions are embraced, protected, and valued.”

The article Disabled members look towards the general election first appeared on the UNISON National site.