Disabled people: Labour manifesto offers little
Labour’s general election manifesto offers little more than vague mentions to disabled people, and drops many of the party’s specific pledges.
Issues and campaigns: Disability rights
Action against discrimination.
Is a neurodivergent worker considered disabled under UK law?
The law judges this on a case-by-case basis. The 2010 Equality Act states that an individual is disabled under the law if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial, long-term, adverse effect on their ability to … Read more
Accessibility As Standard Not ‘As Required’
Janine’s opening remarks at the TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference panel discussion on Accessibility As Standard Not ‘As Required’: building accessible workplaces for all, on Monday 21 March 2022. Which is better? A. A wheelchair user arrives at their new workplace, … Read more
Report: TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee, 14 October 2021
This was the first full meeting of the committee elected in March. It elected Dave Allan as chair (a formality as he is the disabled workers’ representative on the TUC General Council); and Annie Galpin as co-chair. Implementing Disabled Workers’ … Read more
Calling for Labour to adopt policy on neurodiversity
At 2021 Labour Party conference, I moved a ‘reference back’ of the National Policy Forum report, due to its failure to include any policy on neurodiversity, despite a detailed submission being made to the policy forum process. This is what … Read more
RMT Members Help Win Justice for Osime
Published in RMT News, July/August 2021 RMT members have helped to win justice for Osime Brown, a young, black, autistic, learning-disabled man. The union saw this as an issue that deserved our support and solidarity. Janine Booth, Secretary of RMT’s Disabled Members’ … Read more
Ten Barriers Autistic Workers Face and How to Overcome Them
First published as a blog post for the TUC’s ‘Stronger Unions’ on 23 November 2016: Most autistic people want to work, but often encounter difficulties in the workplace which employers can address better. Author and workplace trade union representative … Read more
Disability Campaigners Celebrate ‘Easements’ Win
Published in Solidarity 587, 7 April 2021 Disabled people’s organisations have scored an important victory as the government has announced that local councils will no longer be excused from meeting their social care obligations. A year ago, the Coronavirus Act … Read more
Reasonable Adjustments are Plan B
This is what Janine said in the debate about Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Workers at the TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference on 11 March 2021. I’ll start with what might be a provocative statement: Reasonable adjustments for individual workers … Read more
How anti-union laws harm the fight for disabled people’s rights
Published by the Free Our Unions campaign Britain’s anti-trade-union legislation makes it harder for unions to fight for the rights of disabled workers and disabled people more generally. How? Limiting issues on which unions may lawfully take action Trade unions … Read more
1920 Blind March: a centenary to celebrate
This article was published in RMT News, September 2020. By Janine Booth, Chair of RMT National Disabled Members’ Advisory Committee One hundred years ago, two hundred and fifty blind people from across the UK marched from Newport, Manchester and Leeds … Read more
Video: Speaking Up for Osime Brown
Janine addresses the protest in support of Osime Brown outside the Home Office on Friday 4 September – includes the poems Free Osime Brown and Bearing Down. Please sign Osime’s petition here.
Stop this deportation!
Published in Solidarity 562: Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Home Office on Friday 4 September to demand that Osime Brown not be deported to Jamaica. Led by Osime’s family, the protest was supported by Autistic Inclusive Meets (AIM), … Read more
Covid-19 and austerity: The threat to disabled people
Published in Solidarity 542, 7 April 2020. Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) are objecting to the lack of adequate healthcare, the loss of social care support, the erosion of rights – and the ominous attitude that disabled people are somehow … Read more
Disabled Transport Workers and the Covid-19 Crisis
Also on the RMT London Calling website here. Disabled transport workers are a significant and valuable part of the workforce that delivers transport to millions of passengers and freight consignments every day. Many of us are also particularly vulnerable during … Read more
RMT News: Spend on SEND!
Published in RMT News, October 2019 By Janine Booth, RMT Disabled Members’ Advisory Committee Chair Many of you reading this have children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Some of you were SEND children when you were at school … Read more
Video: Why Special Educational Needs funding is a trade union issue
Speaking out about deaths in care
Janine proposing a motion condemning deaths of autistic and learning disabled people in care, at TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference in May 2019. *** On 21 March this year, an inquest ruled that the death of Colette McCulloch was avoidable. Colette … Read more
Stop SEND cuts!
This is my proposing speech for TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee’s emergency motion calling for action to stop cuts to funding for kids with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Several trade unions’ delegates spoke in support of the motion, which was … Read more
RMT Disabled Members Plan Fightback
Published in Solidarity 468 Disabled transport workers discussed issues from workplace representation to the role of charities at their two-day RMT conference in Southend on 26-27 April. This was only the second annual RMT Disabled Members’ Conference, after the union’s … Read more