Campaigning for disabled people

Community @communityunionSeptember 5, 2021

As this Paralympic Games comes to a close, with 41 golds and over 100 medals in total, Team GB have put in another extraordinary performance.

At Community, we’ve been campaigning for disabled people for over a century. The National League of the Blind, in 1899 was the first trade union for disabled people in the U.K. and achieved huge amounts for British disabled people.

The League organised its first strike in 1912. In 1920, under the banner of “Justice not Charity”, they organised marches to Trafalgar Square from Leeds, Manchester and Newport in support of what became the Blind Persons Act 1920. They joined the Community family in 2000.

Today we represent thousands of disabled workers across the U.K. in all industries and sectors and we are committed to driving positive change, rights, recognition and support for our members.

It is speaking to our disabled members that informs the work and campaigning we do.

More disabled people than ever before are choosing self-employment, but they are being let down by poor support from the government. Read the full research from Community and IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed).

At Community, we believe it’s essential that everyone is given the support they need to do their job to the best of their ability. Although this exists as a legal right, many disabled people struggle to get the support they need. Read our guide on how to access reasonable adjustments.

As we reflect on the immense pride we feel in all of our athletes at the Paralympics, it is important to remember to be advocates for disabled people both in work and wider society. Community is determined to continue to fight for a better working world where disabled people are able to live and work free from discrimination.