Disability Forum Focus

The Midlands TUC Disability Forum has published its' first enewsletter and this is now available on the TUC website here: http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-20150-f0.cfm?regional=6

The newsletter has information relating to World Mental Health day, which falls today. It also highlights The Hardest Hit campaign, which is having two rallies in Nottingham and Birmingham on 22nd October, and has information on our Forum.
Midlands TUC Regional Secretary, Rob Johnston said, "

Our Disability Forum is keen to campaign publicly on issues so that the voice of working disabled people can be heard on issues that directly affect them – but will also have resonance with many more disabled people in our society.

This edition has been produced specifically for World Mental Health day, which falls today, 10^th October. Hundreds of thousands of people at work face ignorance, prejudice and stigma because of mental health problems. Even more – who are both able and willing to work – cannot get a job if they have or have had a mental health problem because of discrimination by employers. This goes on even though it is illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act. Our Forum is keen to see Mental Health issues in the workplace taken seriously.

Disability Forum plan year of campaigns

Members of the Midlands TUC Disability Forum with
Cheryl Pidgeon, second from the right.

The Midlands TUC Disability forum met in the Unison Regional office in Birmingham to consider the campaign priorities for 2011.
The Forum specifically wants to hold a conference in December on the International Day of Disabled People which would enable the forum to highlight Disability History Month and World Aids Day. The Forum also decided to organise a fund raising event to coincide with World Aids Day, hopefully in conjunction with the region's LGB & T Network.
The Forum decided to use the full range of publicity outlets available to them, including press releases, blogs, the TUC website and special editions of the Midlands TUC eNewsletter.
Midlands TUC Regional Secretary, Cheryl Pidgeon, said, "It is great to have a plan of action where we all can work towards delivering successful events and campaigns. The Forum will lead the way and I intend to encourage other groups to follow their lead in establishing sensible and deliverable campaign strategies."

Nil Points

Colin Hampton

Claimants with disabilities will be staging a demonstration outside Chesterfield Jobcentre on Monday January 24th at 2pm. They will be joining in on a National Day of Protest Against Benefit Cuts. The demonstration, organised by the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres, will see 30 claimants and supporters holding cards awarding nil points to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for the cuts they have received in benefits since the introduction of the new Employment and Support Allowance. Many of the protestors had received nil points from Atos Healthcare, the company that carries out disability analysis for the DWP. Only if they reach 15 points are people able to claim the new benefit. If not they lose at least £25 per week and have to join the growing queue looking for work. ‘Many people continue to receive benefit cuts’ said Tim Wilkinson adviser at the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres. ‘These are people who have heath conditions which mean that employers are highly unlikely to give them a job. With more and more people looking for work with the Governments cut back’s those with physical and mental health problems will fall further to the back of the queue for jobs. Losing benefits and having to live on £65 per week does not help anyone’s health or chances of moving back into work.’
Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres are waiting to represent 700 people across Derbyshire at Appeals Tribunals many of which are challenging decisions to award nil points to people seeking ESA. Nationally 2½ million incapacity benefit claimants will be migrated on to the new benefit.

‘Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres will continue to give a voice to those under attack from benefit cuts’ said Colin Hampton co-ordinator of Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres, ‘If the County Council thinks it can stamp out dissenting voices by stopping grant aid to our organisation – it couldn’t be more wrong. Our job is not just to give advice and representation but to raise the social policy issues that arise from our work’.
Further information from Colin Hampton: colin.hampton@duwc.org.uk

First meeting of Midlands TUC Disability Forum

Delegates to the first
Midlands TUC Disability Forum

Today (Wednesday) sees the first meeting of the Midlands TUC Disability Forum. Delegates will be considering a plan of work for the forthcoming year.
Activity is likely to include:

• Organising and building community alliances
• Industrial workplace startegy
• Political lobbying
• Communications re Disability issues.
• Disability policies within the workplace

TUC Midlands Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said, "Disability issues affect many people in our workplaces and society. But it's not just about having the right equipment or modifying access to buildings, important as those things are. We need to ensure that disability issues are mainstreamed and that people understand that a fair society means using the skills and expertise of all in society. We should see the ability in people - not their disability".