Other unions

Seconding a motion from the University and Colleges Union (UCU) about the Disabled People’s Summit, I outlined the reasoning behind the text that RMT had added to the motion via our amendment. The motion (incorporating the amendment) was passed unanimously.

The final motion at this year’s TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference was on Learning Disability. As this is an important and neglected issue, and the motion made some good points, it was clearly going to pass. However, I thought it important to point out some problems with it. Contributions to the debate were limited to three minutes, so this is probably more blunt and less nuanced than it might have been!

Published on PCS blog, 17 May 2018:

In Mental Health Awareness Week, Janine warns that we need to be more than just aware, but prepared to take action on mental health.

1. TUC Disabled Workers' Conference, 24-25 May, Bournemouth

• Motions - The Committee agreed to to support all motions and amendments, except:
  • Unison's amendment to Unite's motion on Universal Credit (oppose) - the motion opposes UC; the amendment wants to change this to reforming it
  • POA's motion on mental health discrimination (oppose) - the Committee can not support the Time To Change campaign, as it is run by Mind, which collaborates with the DWP
  • Community's motion on sustainable supported employment (decision deferred) - the motion proposes promoting a particular company as 'best practice' for the employment of disabled people - we need more information before endorsing this

I wrote this blog for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which published it on 3 April 2017.

At the start of Autism Awareness Month, campaigner Janine Booth says autistic people's involvement in our trade unions is essential to winning acceptance and raising awareness.

Do you have any autistic workmates? Perhaps you do. Perhaps you do but you don’t realise it. Perhaps you are autistic yourself. Maybe you have an autistic dependant – child or adult – or you know a workmate who does.

I thought the pay
Was quite OK
When I first came through the door
Then I paid my rent
And it was spent
And now I want some more

The company's board
Say they can't afford
They've got no more to give
But like Olly Twist
More than subsist
I want enough to live