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As part of its work for a more inclusive workplace, UNI Equal Opportunities has asked its affiliated members to share their good practices to promote inclusion and equality in the workplace ; particularly towards people with disabilities.

Denise Mc Guire, President of Prospect UK, and President of the UNI World Women’s Committee commented: “My union, Prospect is committed to equality for all members irrespective of sex, marital status, ethnic origin, disability, sexuality, gender identity, age, religion or belief, whether it be in the workplace and in the union.

We believe that all workplaces, and society generally will benefit from an inclusive environment”.

In the UK In the UK the Equality Act 2010 includes a public sector duty to promote disability equality and eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. Although it only applies in the public sector, Prospect encourages its representatives to ensure that the good practice associated with implementing this new duty is introduced in all workplaces.

They are also engaged with TUC, participating in their Disabled Workers’ Conference by sending delegates, submitting motions and having a representative at the TUC Disabled Workers’ committee.

Prospect agrees with the TUC and the disabled people's movement, that people are disabled by the barriers that stand in the way of their participation in society and in the workplace. These barriers can be physical and attitudinal, and by tackling them we can ensure full participation, to everyone's benefit.

This is the social model which Prospect encourages for negotiators and representatives to adopt in their workplace negotiations, a model based on what disabled people can do rather than what they cannot do.

Some TUC material on disabilities includes:

•  Trade Unions and Disabled Members: Why the social model matters .
•  TUC Manifesto for Disability Equality to promote support for the steps needed to achieve equality for millions of disabled people who face discrimination, poverty and prejudice.
•  Using the TUC Manifesto for Disability Equality: a guide for trade union activists, to help trade unionists and others to win the arguments and to gain supporters from the manifesto, a guide for activists has also been published:
• Disability and Employment is a TUC report, using the social model of disability to study the employment experiences of disabled people with a particular focus on people with a mental illness.

The UNI Equal Opportunities Department would like to thank Prospect UK for providing this information and for sharing their good practices with other affiliated unions around the world who are fighting for more equal and inclusive workplaces.