More than two thirds of English councils have cut vital care packages for disabled people since the government scrapped the Independent Living Fund (ILF) in favour of paying local authorities…Read more…
My life in austerity Britain
Speaking from her own personal experience disability rights activist and actor Liz Carr (pictured left) told Sunday’s (September 25) Real Britain fringe about what it’s real like to have disabilities…Read more…
Forced to retire early
Nearly half a million people in the UK are forced to retire before the state pension age because of illness or disability, a new TUC report has found, which accounts for on average one in eight…Read more…
Are students with SEND being let down? Our members say they are
ATL recently responded to the Labour Party’s review of SEND provision in England, as part of our work on Conference resolution 43, Are SEND Students Being Let Down? We surveyed ATL members to…Read more…
Devastating impact
A campaign to stop lethal cuts to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been launched by Unite and the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS). Last autumn the Tories…Read more…
‘We allow the world to carry on’
As part of Carers Week, UNITElive is publishing a series of stories featuring Unite members who care for their relatives or work in the care sector. It would be wrong to say that Unite member…Read more…
Layer upon layer
As part of Carers Week, UNITElive is publishing a series of stories featuring Unite members who care for their relatives or work in the care sector. Today UNITElive speaks to Unite national…Read more…
Taxi!
In Nottingham, as with many cities and towns throughout the UK, Hackney cab taxis are a vital part of the community’s transport system. They quickly get passengers from point A to point B, and most…Read more…
Worrying increase in sanctions against the sick and disabled
Today’s figures revealed that sanctions against Employment and Support (ESA) claimants increased in December to 1,708. This was up by 451 on the previous month. ESA is the out-of-work benefit for people whose illness, health condition or disability makes it difficult or impossible to work. To…Read more…
Let’s give disabled young people the chance they deserve
#STUC16 Disabled young people are massively under-represented in apprenticeships and Congress delegates backed a wide-ranging campaign to address the difficulties they face, to support their educational attainment and to make sure more can access apprenticeships.
Supporting the motion UNISON’s Morag Houston told delegates that times are hard for all our young people – but they are doubly hardRead more…
Defending what millions have died for
Receiving letters in the post can elicit a range of emotions – frustration at another overdue bill, delight that an old friend is getting married. But for Sharon, a simple letter precipitated…Read more…
‘Light it up blue’
Big-hearted Unite members working for Rolls Royce in Derby have forked out £2,000 to light up their plant in blue to raise aware of autism which affects 700,000 people in the UK. Global icons…Read more…
UNITE constitutional timetable 2016
Each year there is a schedule of meetings, intended to ensure key meetings don’t clash with each other. For 2016 the schedule is as follows:
Regional Industrial Sector Committees; Area Activists Committees; Regional Equalities & Regional Labour Pa…Read more…
Mind the disability gap
The employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people has hit 31 per cent, having remained stubbornly above 30 per cent since 2008. Progress in reducing the gap remains stuck, with less…Read more…
Breaking down barriers
For our last part in UNITElive’s series for Disability History Month this, we speak to Marsha de Cordova who explains how people with disabilities are being shortchanged by employers and the…Read more…
Stand up
In part 4 of our Disability History Month series, UNITElive speaks to Unite equalities rep Marina Gunn about changing perceptions that others have about people with disabilities. Dry humour…Read more…
Better understanding
In the third part of our week-long series for Disability History Month, UNITElive speaks to Unite Welsh disabilites committee chair Ceri Wright, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome,…Read more…
Lend a hand
In part 2 of our week-long series for Disability History Month, UNITElive speaks to Unite vice-chair of the South East region Ian Lidbetter. Having a disability that isn’t immediately apparent,…Read more…
Fight for rights
As part of Disability History Month this month, UNITElive will publish one story each day featuring the many Unite members with disabilities who are fighting for a better world for all. Today,…Read more…
“You don’t look disabled”
To mark international day of disabled people on 3 December, the TUC has published guidance for trade union representatives and disabled workers under the title “You don’t look disabled”. The individual case studies it presents show why it is needed. Much of the population assumes that disabled…Read more…