Doing the right thing

IT WAS particularly gratifying to read the item relating to Tom Walker, and his positive opportunities as a disabled person in our profession and in our union (last issue).

Having worked closely with General Secretary Jeremy Dear and Equality Officer Lena Calvert on the disability audit we were able to confirm that the NUJ is performing well in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, and access to our services for members such as Tom.

Of course, we know there are problems, for instance in the Glasgow office, in which access is difficult for most disabled people but which as a listed building cannot be rebuilt. Even there we ensure that any disabled member can arrange to meet staff at another venue.

However, we must all remember that not all disabilities are clearly obvious to either management or colleagues, and for this reason the NUJ Disabled Members Council has worked to create the report on Hidden Disabilities.

It is important that members realise that the colleague at the next desk could be working under constraints of one of the hidden disabilities, which affects up to 70 per cent of the working population.

Stephen Brookes
Chair, Disabled Members Council