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Human RightsDISABILITY ACTION IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE OF CANADAJanuary 1997DEDICATION This is also time to recognize those elected officers and staff at PSAC - both those with disabilities and TABS* - who have worked particularly hard to help members with disabilities find their voice and their place in the Alliance. Anne Whitehurst, Chairperson, *Temporarily Able-Bodied - a term for those
without disabilities who, nonetheless, may turn the corner and find themselves
adventitiously disabled through accident or illness. I. About this Publication II. About the Public Service Alliance of Canada III. Disability Action in the PSAC: 1990 - 1995
IV. PSAC Programs and Services: Accessibility and Accommodation
V. Where to From Here?
VI. Conclusion
I. PSAC Policy on
Disability Issues In 1995 Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) recognized the significant work that the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) had done to create a union more accessible to members with disabilities and to involve more members with disabilities in union activities. Recognition came in the form of funding from the Disabled Persons Participation Program for this publication so that other unions might read about what the Alliance has done to become more inclusive of members with disabilities. The Disabled Persons Participation Program funding also helped the Alliance hold the ACCESS '95 conference where PSAC members with disabilities were interviewed about their experiences in the union and the workplace. Their comments are reflected throughout this publication. The primary goal of this report is to share information with other unions about the initiatives jointly undertaken by PSAC members with disabilities and their union. We believe that it will be of interest to disability organizations as well. At a time when all groups devoted to the protection of social programs and human rights are finding it essential to network with one another, this publication offers disability groups and organizations an inside look at what one union has done to assist with the struggle for disability rights. This review of activities within the PSAC around disability issues will focus mainly on the overall initiatives carried out at the Alliance level. While particular work has been done in some Components, Locals and Regions, those activities are not the focus here. Finally, this publication gives PSAC members, elected officers, and staff a chance to take stock of what has been done to advance disability issues and what remains to be done. At ACCESS '95, PSAC members with disabilities commented frequently on the progress which had been made in making the Alliance more accessible and aware of their needs. But they also were alert to the concerns and issues which are yet to be addressed. These concerns are also highlighted in this document. The publication was drafted by Anne Whitehurst, Chairperson, NCR MDAC, and developed in consultation with a variety of PSAC activists with disabilities, PSAC officials and PSAC staff. The publication begins with an overview of the Public
Service Alliance of Canada and its structure. It then turns to disability action within
the union and from there to some of the on-going work that facilitates the participation
of PSAC members with disabilities in our union. About The Public Service Alliance Of Canada As of January 1996, the Public Service Alliance of Canada represented approximately 160,000 workers, 90% of whom fell under the federal Public Service Staff Relations Act and 10% of whom worked for other federally-, provincially-, or territorially-regulated employers. A sampling of Alliance members with disabilities who attended the ACCESS '95 conference illustrates the diversity of worksites and occupations of these members. Participants came from a variety of employers including: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, National Defence, Statistics Canada, the Royal Mint and Revenue Canada. Their jobs were equally diverse and covered areas such as laboratory research, financial administrative support work, machine shop, writing ministerial correspondence and court reporting. Like other PSAC members, those with disabilities look to their union for representation in the work place, for representation at the bargaining table and for advocacy of their rights in the political arena. Learning about the structure of the Alliance and how it carries out its mandate is a formidable task. Members with disabilities join other members in gathering this knowledge through PSAC courses, through workshops at conferences and by becoming more active at all levels of the union. The structure of the PSAC is currently undergoing major changes. At the 1994 PSAC Triennial Convention, the Alliance began a major restructuring that calls for the regionalization of an expanded Alliance Executive Committee (AEC, the body which runs the union on a day-to-day basis). As well, the number of Component unions, currently 17, will be reduced through mergers. Founded in 1966, the Public Service Alliance of Canada is headquartered in Ottawa. The Alliance currently operates 23 Regional offices across the country with service representatives who provide support to members through education programs and through their assistance to equity groups such as MDACs and Regional Women's Committees. For the addresses of regional offices, see Appendix A. Serving PSAC members at the grassroots level are 17 Component unions that generally correspond with federal government departments. Each member of the PSAC is a member of a Local which is a part of a Component which is part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Disability Action in the PSAC: 1990-1995 Introduction In the planning for this section of the handbook, we had thought to have neat and tidy sections dealing with the Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committees, the ACCESS conferences for members with disabilities, outreach, accessibility, and political action. In the writing of the section, we have discovered that it is artificial and downright difficult to disconnect these activities. They have each been important in their own right, but in the development of disability awareness and action within the PSAC they have been very much interconnected. Therefore, we will begin with a chronological approach highlighting the landmarks which have been significant as PSAC members with disabilities have become more involved in the Alliance and as the Alliance has become more accessible. This will introduce and map the ways in which members, elected officers, and staff have worked together to move the Alliance forward on disability issues. First MDAC Established Major activity in the Alliance around disability issues began in the early nineties, when a group of National Capital Region (NCR) PSAC members with disabilities met to discuss their concerns and develop a mechanism to bring these concerns to the attention of the union leadership. This group coalesced into the first PSAC Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committee (MDAC) in March of 1990 and officially began its work on the development of strategies to promote disability issues within the Alliance. The PSAC Human Rights Officer served as a resource person at early meetings of the group. Other PSAC members with disabilities were also beginning to make contact with the Human Rights Office and were eager to stay aware of the group's activities until they could get an MDAC going in their area. While the MDAC was getting underway, other equity groups were organizing and speaking out on their concerns. One of the earliest, the Lesbian and Gay Support Group (LGSG), had already blazed a trail in its active lobbying on equity issues. The NCR Visible Minorities Ad Hoc Committee (VMAC) was also meeting and developing an action plan. The NCR MDAC met with union leadership in 1990 and made presentations at various union forums including the Human Rights Forum at the 1991 PSAC Triennial Convention. These actions helped to put disability issues on the union agenda. At the same time the NCR MDAC was organizing and making presentations, a growing concern around disability issues was percolating in PSAC Components. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Committees in the Components provided space where members were encouraged to talk about these issues and develop actions to bring about change on matters such as accessibility. A broad resolution (see box) calling on the Alliance to seriously address the accessibility needs of its members with disabilities came to the 1991 PSAC Triennial Convention. "PS 2000 must identify a plan of action that will provide solutions to the following barriers which currently seriously effect the morale of public servants and would-be public servants with disabilities: 1. current lack of accessibility of government buildings and facilities; 2. lack of information in alternate media formats; and 3. training programs which fail to provide the necessary supports and accommodations." (Presentation by Patty Holmes, National Capital Region Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committee; excerpt from Report - PSAC Commission on Federal Public Service Morale, 1990) "'Hold union meetings in accessible locations so we can attend,' Veronica (Healy) urged. 'Have Alliance literature available in larger print, on tape or in braille. Provide sign language or oral interpretation at meetings. Have telephones equipped with volume control.' Michel Charbonneau, a member of the Union of National Defence Employees, said it's not difficult to become handicapped but, it is difficult to live with a handicap. 'It is through statistical studies, health and safety committees and local union-management consultation committees that you learn to live with your handicap.' Charbonneau said it is time that 'we get more action in the union and the union comes more towards us. The union must accept three principles: consult, act and inform.'" (Excerpts from Alliance Magazine, May-June, 1991, covering presentations made by Veronica Healy and Michel Charbonneau at the 1991 PSAC Triennial Convention Human Rights Forum.) While General Resolution 482 did not make it to the floor of the Convention, it was subsequently adopted by the Alliance National Board of Directors (the primary decision-making body of the union between Conventions) as policy. This policy translated into a directive to PSAC Branch directors to take accessibility into account in the planning and arrangement of all Alliance functions.
ORIGINATOR: NAT (413) E WHEREAS it is now the policy of the Employer to employ people who have physical/mental impairments (hearing, vision, etc.); WHEREAS the Public Service Alliance of Canada has not made arrangement for the availability for these members to attend Conferences, Conventions, Seminars, etc.; BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Public Service Alliance of Canada take the necessary action to ensure availability of equipment and/or people required to enable physically/mentally impaired members to attend all Alliance functions; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT application forms, etc. be revised to allow for indication by the members of the type of equipment and/or people they require to attend Alliance functions. As the MDAC and other groups in the union articulated the
needs of members with disabilities, the Alliance made a commitment to better serve
these members. The education of members, officers, and staff about how to do this
has followed. The Alliance has chosen to learn about accessibility and accommodation by
listening to its members. Key channels for member input have been the representation of
members with disabilities on the PSAC Equal Opportunities Committee (EOC), the MDAC
committees and the ACCESS conferences for PSAC members with disabilities. PSAC Equal Opportunities Committee The Equal Opportunities Committee (EOC) is a standing or permanent committee of the PSAC National Board of Directors. The Committee, which is chaired by the PSAC Executive Vice-President responsible for equity issues, was composed of one representative from each of the 18 PSAC Components until 1992. At that time the EOC was expanded by eight seats to ensure the representation of groups covered by the human rights policy. Following an open call for applications to PSAC members who belonged to the four designated groups, two visible minority members, two Aboriginal members, two members with disabilities and a gay member and a lesbian member were appointed. The mandate of the EOC was revised to reflect this greater involvement. Veronica Healy and Michel Poitras, two PSAC members active
on disability issues, were appointed to Committee. They, and alternate Pat Derrick, who
replaced Veronica Healy, consistently spoke up and educated the committee on disability
issues, particularly accessibility. In 1995, Barbara Townsend-Batten and John Ruppel
replaced Michel and Pat as the representatives on disabilities issues for a three year
term. They continue to raise the consciousness of other committee members and of PSAC
staff around the requirements and issues for members with disabilities. [Translation] *It all started when the Alliance provided a seat on the equality Committee, two of whom were persons with disabilities. There, we asked that our place and our rights be recognized. Before, there were no documents in braille or cassette...From there we established a new policy for members with disabilities.+ (Michel Poitras, Montreal, Quebec) "I find as a person with a disability I am accepted and encouraged by my fellow PSAC Equal Opportunities Committee members. My opinions are given consideration and discussion time. As our group gains experience and comfort amongst ourselves I'm sure progress will come. The work seems to go slow but I think this is a reflection of the difficulty of communication between meetings and not a barrier particular to our organization. Maybe quarterly conference calls between Equal Opportunity Reps and MDAC chairs would help?" (Barbara Townsend-Batten, London, Ontario) Access '93: Networking In 1993, PSAC members with disabilities turned up the heat on disability issues several notches. The National Capital Region Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committee and the Alliance jointly obtained funding for "ACCESS '93: Networking," the first-ever national conference for union members with disabilities in the Canadian labour movement. Approximately 75 union members, mainly from the Alliance but also representing other major Canadian unions, attended this conference which was organized by union members with disabilities, for union members with disabilities and addressed disability issues from a labour perspective. The Conference took place in Toronto, 16 - 18 April, 1993. The objectives of ACCESS '93 were to:
ACCESS '93 necessitated the Alliance planning and carrying out a conference that would address a broad range of requirements for its members with disabilities. In order for the conference to be accessible to these members, the conference organizers needed to provide language interpretation in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes quebecois (LSQ), sound amplification, and conference material in braille and large print. It was also necessary to accommodate the requirements of a large number of participants with guide dogs and the various needs of those with wheelchairs and other mobility requirements. "First of all, when I came to the ACCESS '93 Conference, it was overwhelming to see the wide variety of disabled people who were able to participate. It was unbelievable how PSAC had managed to pull it all together with all the different needs of the individuals that attended the meetings. I was really proud of that fact. And so, when I went home, I was cheering and on an emotional high. I could hardly wait to talk to my fellow members about the wonderful experience." (Marnie Fabbri, Winnipeg, Manitoba) With this conference the PSAC made a quantum leap forward in its knowledge of the requirements of those with disabilities. It was necessary to carry out research to gather the information and to develop the expertise required to respond to the requirements of these members. However, as the PSAC Conference Facilitator emphasized: "The experts are the people who have the disability." It became very clear that accommodation could not, and should not, be lumped together in broad categories, but rather must address the specific accessibility issues in each case. For example, "large print" usually refers to 14 point type or larger, but what we discovered was that, for some members, the size didn't matter. What they required was that the material be in bold type. Other members require 20 point or larger type to find it of use. ACCESS '93 clearly demonstrated the value of listening to members and learning from them. (A response from Shirley Short to a question which asked if she had a message for other PSAC members with disabilities.) "I would just tell them to get involved in the union because this is a forum where you can not only discuss your problems and get them off your chest, but you are actually listened to - people will listen to your concerns - they are concerned about your concerns. So, if you are involved in your union, you have a forum for your complaints, if you like. And it's a lot easier when you know that you're not alone. That was the thing that came back to me, that came right home to me at the ACCESS '93 Conference. Previous to that I had not known - I thought I was the only one that had problems. (Shirley Short, Toronto, Ontario) ACCESS '93 raised the awareness of PSAC elected officers and staff to the needs and issues of its members with disabilities, and it brought information about the union to these members. ACCESS '93 was also a first-time experience of the union for many of the members with disabilities who were there. Not only did they learn about how the union works and about their rights in the workplace, but they also began to build links with other participants. It was the positive nature of this experience that led some of the participants to join MDACs after the conference and, in some cases, to work on the creation of new MDACs. ACCESS '93 was also a positive experience for members with disabilities because it gave participants a chance to hear their needs articulated in resolutions. Out of this conference came a package of resolutions focused on providing members with disabilities better access to the Alliance and on finding ways in which they could continue to make their presence known in the union. (See Appendix B for a copy of these resolutions) A large proportion of these resolutions made it to the floor of the 1994 PSAC Triennial Convention. The representation of members with disabilities at the Convention was limited in number but strong on determination. Shirley Short, the only delegate with a visible disability, caucused with other members with disabilities who were at the Convention as observers. This group lobbied for the resolutions and provided support to those TABS on the General Resolutions Committee who worked to protect the substance of the disability resolutions and to keep them high on the agenda. "So I said to her, how many other delegates with disabilities are going to the conference? And she said, 'You're the only one.' But, when I got to the convention, on Monday night the announcement was made that there would be a caucus for the disability group. And so, I thought, Oh great! Maybe there would be heaps of us. I get to the caucus and there were five of us - me, Sylvie, Anne, Michel and Peter. But everyone but me was an observer. Then, we were going through the issues, and Anne said, 'You know, feel free to stand up and speak on any of these issues tomorrow, Shirley.' And I said, 'Thanks, sure! Anne.' Yeah, yeah. But I had all this stuff in braille which was really good because by that time, I was used to where they were. So, when they would say this is the General Resolutions Committee, I could go straight to it and by the time that they had read it, I'd have found it and identified it as one of ours. Then Hershey and I would go scoot up to the microphone, and, you know, we had a good time." (Shirley Short, Toronto, Ontario) PSAC Policies On Disability All but one of the disability resolutions made it to the floor of the 1991 PSAC Triennial Convention and were passed. Thanks to these resolutions, the PSAC has:
"I'm delighted with the progress that we have had since the 1993 ACCESS Conference. I'm delighted with the cooperation we have had in the Union - both with the Executive and with getting resolutions passed at Convention. And, as a veteran of union conventions, I am well aware of some of the fights, the debates that do take place to get the resolutions to pass. These resolutions that pertained to the rights of disabled persons basically went through with lots of positive comments." (Byron Bolick, National Capital Region) The resolution to establish the Local Accessibility Fund was passed at the 1994 Triennial Convention to assist PSAC Locals in ensuring that their events and functions are accessible. The guidelines for administration of the fund were jointly developed by MDAC activists and the PSAC. Locals can apply for subsidy of up to one-half the amount of the item or service. Locals have been requested to provide an evaluation after the event has happened or the service has been used and, to encourage this, payment is held back until receipt of the evaluation. This has proved too bureaucratic. As Barbara Townsend-Batten (London, Ontario) puts it: "The $10,000 fund needs additional work to make it more accessible. It is too complicated." PSAC Members With Disabilities Ad Hoc Committees Also arising out of ACCESS '93 was the establishment of more members with disabilities committees across the country. In addition to the MDAC in Montreal and the NCR, MDACs have since formed in Whitehorse, Winnipeg, London, Toronto, Halifax, and St. John's. As well, a joint Equity Committee have recently been formed in Quebec City, Edmonton and Calgary by equity group members. This Committee will address various issues, including disability. With the downsizing and reorganizing of worksites taking place, some of these MDACs have combined or are currently inactive. But the mailing addresses of these MDACs are still alive (see Appendix E) and the PSAC Regional Offices have a responsibility to offer support when there is the interest in reviving a Committee. Like all other union activities, the ongoing life of an MDAC requires a major commitment on the part of members. It requires time, energy and networking to set up a committee, keep it going and push forward the priorities of the committee. A serious difficulty for MDACs is the lack of dedicated funding to cover such expenses as telephone and travel. It is crucial for the members with disabilities forming these committees to have consistent support from their Regional Office. PSAC Regional Offices exist to provide a variety of services to members. Part of their role is to educate and help members organize. They are there to help disseminate information about MDAC committees, contact interested members, ensure that information for the committees is prepared in alternate formats for meetings, and provide accessible meeting places with necessary accommodation such as sound amplification or sign interpretation. This support has been mandated by the Alliance leadership. While MDACs have played different roles in different regions, they have consistently helped to link members with members and with more information about their union. MDACs have provided members with information about the employer's duty to accommodate, the existence of the technical aids bank, the experience of other members with the health insurance plan, how to go about learning more about their rights and benefits in the workplace and how to go about putting forward recommendations to improve these benefits. There has also been a role for MDACs in sensitizing elected officers throughout the union to disability issues. In 1992 the NCR MDAC conducted a survey of all Component Presidents to determine how up-to-date PSAC Components were on the needs of their members with disabilities. Questions were asked about the accessibility of meetings, the availability of materials in alternate format, and the provision of accessible training for component members with disabilities. The survey found a limited awareness of and little action on disability concerns. Meetings were not consistently made accessible and material was not being offered in alternate formats. Components were not organized to identify and provide the types of accommodation their members with disabilities required at courses, meetings and conferences. Concerned about the results of this survey, the NCR MDAC wrote to the President of the PSAC and highlighted ways in which the components needed to improve in understanding and responding to the needs of their members with disabilities. MDACs have used National Access Awareness Week as a time to raise awareness of disability issues. It has been a time to hold open houses at PSAC Regional Offices and do outreach through locals and other channels to potential MDAC members. In 1994 the Montreal Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committee set up an information booth at the Guy Favreau Complex. More recently the MDAC in Halifax, which calls itself the Access Action Committee, held a one day meeting during National Access Awareness Week in 1995 on the subject "Challenge Communication." This session brought together deaf workers, co-workers, supervisors, managers and union representatives and focused on the experiences of deaf employees in the workplace. A video of this session is being prepared. As mentioned earlier, MDACs have organized and made presentations to various public forums conducted by the PSAC. In 1990 it was the "PSAC Commission on Federal Public Service Morale." In 1994 MDAC members appeared before the PSAC hearings "In the Public Interest." They spoke about the repercussions of the Federal Government cutbacks on the employment situation of persons with disabilities. "A member of a local Access Action Committee (the Halifax MDAC) echoed this sentiment when he told our St. John's, Newfoundland hearing that 'It almost seems that the public service engages in the non-hiring of persons with disabilities, they say a lot and mean very little. I'm not aware of one person with a disability hired in a full-time position in this region in the last five years, and with the cutbacks and downsizing, I can't see things changing.'" (Excerpt from In the Public Interest - A Report on PSAC Hearings into Public Service Delivery, November 1994.) Even when they gain employment, people with disabilities experience hardship beyond that encountered by other workers. As we were told in Ottawa, `There are real costs to being disabled and those costs are increasing every day. With the wage freezes over the last number of years, those of us lucky enough to have a job are now being thrown back on the social welfare system that we fought so hard to get out of.' (Excerpt from In the Public Interest - A Report on PSAC Hearings into Public Service Delivery, November 1994.) Upfront: Newsletter For PSAC Members With Disabilities In January 1995 the first issue of UPFRONT hit the newsstands. It has been edited by Pat Derrick, a MDAC member in the National Capital Region, UPFRONT carries news of interest to Alliance members with disabilities. It has touched on conference and convention happenings and passed on reports from delegates who spoke on disability issues. It also provides updates on equity and other employment issues. While the editor has been an MDAC member from the National Capital Region, there is an open invitation for contributions from members with disabilities across the country. The role of the Upfront editor is to receive and review submissions, edit them for form, monitor deadlines and work with the Human Rights Office to follow up with contributors as required. The Editor will not edit the articles for substance, other than instances when an article contravenes Alliance policy or is problematic in a similar manner. The Human Rights Office is responsible for the physical production and distribution of the document, including braille, large print and disk versions. As it is a forum for networking among members with
disabilities, the distribution of UPFRONT is mainly for these members with copies
sent to the PSAC National Board of Directors and to Regional Offices. At the ACCESS '93 Conference, the Montreal Members with Disabilities Regional Committee spoke up to say that they would like to host the next ACCESS Conference. "ACCESS '95: Taking Our Place" was held in Montreal from August 18 - 25, 1995. The objectives of ACCESS '95 were to:
While ACCESS '93 had focused on the accessibility of the union itself, ACCESS '95 expanded its focus to cover ways in which various levels of the union could promote disability issues in the workplace and in the broader community. Participants met in workshops to share their concerns and priorize issues. They talked about how they would like the Alliance to act on these concerns and discussed ways in which they could strategize to promote this action. ACCESS '95 participants also took part in political lobbying and demonstrations to protest the effect of federal cutbacks on persons with disabilities. On August 18, they held a joint demonstration with disability groups in the Montreal area. This mid-day march ended at the Canadian Human Rights Office The 1994 Canadian Human Rights Commission Annual Report bears witness to why persons with disabilities must take to the streets. It notes: Moral gestures are not being translated into action, and long acknowledged barriers to equality continue to frustrate people with disabilities and to deny them the equal opportunity that is supposedly guaranteed in Canadian society. And what about employment opportunities in the Federal Public Service for persons with disabilities? The most recent report from Treasury Board on Employment Equity in the Public Service states that in March 1993 persons with disabilities represented 3.1% of the Public Service. In March 1994 this had dropped to 2.9%. The Human Rights Commission 1994 report comments on the lack of employment for persons with disabilities: It should be evident by now that the continued marginalization of disabled Canadians who want to work is a loss to the economy as a whole. (Anne Whitehurst, Excerpt from speech at Access '95) Where members with disabilities and PSAC Vice-Presidents spoke about the federal government's abysmal track record on human rights, the effects of the proposed cuts on employment of members with disabilities and on the dismantling of social programs and the effect on persons with disabilities. ACCESS '95 also took advantage of a meeting in the same hotel of Liberal Party members, many of them senior officials. A silent demonstration outside the meeting by participants and the insistence of ACCESS co-chair Michel Poitras obtained a twenty minute meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister AndrJ Ouellet and Liberal MP Eleni Bakopanos. This provided Daryl Bean, PSAC National President, and Nycole Turmel, PSAC Executive Vice-President responsible for human rights issues, and the Conference co-chairs the opportunity to raise with these politicians the effects of budget cuts on federal workers with disabilities. Resolutions at ACCESS '95 focused strongly on the situation in the workplace for members with disabilities. Participants were very worried about job loss. They called on the Alliance to work in numerous ways for the continued employment of persons with disabilities. They asked PSAC to ensure that employees with disabilities were not laid off disproportionately. ACCESS '95 also recommended that PSAC press the employer to provide all personnel information, including employee evaluations, in alternate media. As well, other resolutions addressed the need for expeditious and professional assessments of the accommodation, the tools, and the training required by persons with disabilities in the workplace. Over and over again at the conference, participants spoke of the problems they were experiencing with Sun Life, the company providing workplace benefits to most PSAC members, and with other benefit plans. They recommended that the Alliance gather information about these difficulties and address them through all possible avenues. ACCESS '95 participants also looked at ways to provide for a stronger foundation within the Alliance for members with disabilities. They recommended that the PSAC Constitution be amended to establish regional MDACs with annual operating budgets. They called for an ACCESS conference every three years and for four delegates to the PSAC Triennial Convention to be elected at each ACCESS conference. Other ACCESS '95 recommendations included calls for additional staffing and political changes at the national level to accommodate the interests of persons with disabilities. (See Appendix F for the full text of all resolutions). Canadian Labour Congress Working Groups In 1994, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), which is the largest labour central in Canada and to which the Alliance belongs, established four equity working groups to advise the Congress on equity-related issues. The Alliance has appointed an activist to each of these working groups, including the working group on disability issues. The first appointee was Michel Poitras, who had just completed his tenure as a PSAC Equal Opportunities Committee Equity Representative. He has since been replaced by Anne Whitehurst. PSAC Policy on Disability Issues The 1994 PSAC Triennial Convention adopted a resolution mandating the development of a PSAC Policy on Disability Issues. In 1996, Chris Stark and Pat Derrick, PSAC members and disability activists, formed a working group dedicated to coordinating the development of this policy. Yvonne Peters, a civil liberties lawyer and disability activist, drafted the policy in consultation with the working group and other MDAC activists across Canada. This document was adopted as PSAC policy by the National Board of Directors at their January 1997 meeting. PSAC Programs And Services: Accessibility And Accommodation Introduction In 1990, when the first MDAC Committee was formed in Ottawa, the awareness and comfort level of PSAC staff and officers around persons with disabilities was low. During the '80s some groundwork had been laid for more focus on Human Rights issues, but actual knowledge and experience of the situation of PSAC members with disabilities had a long way to go. It has been in the 1990s that PSAC has made major progress in integrating the requirements of persons with disabilities into Alliance programs and services. The two ACCESS Conferences certainly served as pivotal points in the articulation of the concerns of members with disabilities. The Conferences and the MDACs have clearly identified the changes the Alliance needs to make to become more accessible and accommodating of members with disabilities. This portion of our review will look at the changes which have been made in PSAC programs and services to respond to the requirements of members with disabilities. It will also consider some of the work done by the PSAC to address the needs of members with disabilities in the workplace. And, finally, there will be comment on what still needs to be done if the Alliance is to be truly inclusive of members with disabilities. "When I first got involved with the Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committee, I got the distinct impression that the Alliance staff people had never met a disabled person before. Maybe they had, but from the way theyinteracted with me, and the way they dealt with me. I had a feeling that they had never had much experience with a person with a disability. So, when I started working on the ACCESS Conference, started visiting the Alliance staff people, it was a two-way street. Here we were - these disabled people - and I was waiting to see where they were coming from. So, I really believe that the ACCESS Conferences have raised the consciousness of staff people to such a point that now they feel comfortable talking to people with disabilities." (Pat Derrick, National Capital Region) Human Rights Office Prior to the establishment of the Human Rights Office in 1988, human rights work in the Alliance was primarily of an advocacy nature. Members would contact the union with a particular problem and union activists and staff would attempt to solve the problem for that member. The Human Rights Office allowed for the development of a national program that was based instead on mobilization and the action and agenda of equity group members themselves. This shift in approach was fundamental to the developments noted both above and below. Given this approach, a main function of the Human Rights Office has been to facilitate the organization of equity group members by those members themselves. This has included assisting in the formation of Members with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committees, developing materials to raise disability issues in consultation with members with disabilities (e.g., for National Access Awareness Week), assisting MDACs to communicate with one another and assisting in the dissemination of regional information at a national level. An important activity in this regard has been the development of a national network list of members with disabilities. The network list, which was compiled from ACCESS '93 and '95 applications, referrals from other areas of the union and word of mouth now has almost 200 names on it. When seeking broad consultation with members with disabilities, the Alliance is now in the position to do so. As well, this network list has been essential in connecting members with MDACs in their region and their PSAC Regional Offices. Members with disabilities have sometimes heard about the MDAC network and directly approached the Human Rights Office. They are redirected back to MDAC activists or the PSAC Regional Office in their region. Special media requirements are also tracked through this network listing. Because of this, it is important that the Alliance follow up on plans which would have this network list merged with the full membership mailing list. The Alliance is one of the few unions that, due to its structure, has a centralized list that allows mailing to a large proportion of our membership. Merging the two lists will facilitate the preparation of all types of publications from all areas of the union in the appropriate formats required by a number of PSAC's members with disabilities. Unions that are beginning the process of organizing around these issues may initially feel that they would like to involve members with disabilities, but they aren't quite sure how to find these members. The Alliance was fortunate to represent employees in the federal government, some of whom specifically deal with issues around disability (for example, employees of the Disabled Persons Secretariat and the Canadian Human Rights Commission). This assisted us in our early organizing attempts. It is equally true, however, that PSAC members with disabilities have continued to come forward over a period of six years. Sometimes, connecting with members has progressed slowly, but the number of contacts has steadily grown. Predictably, each ACCESS Conference has meant that the number of links with members with disabilities has sharply increased. The Human Rights Office worked jointly with the MDACs in the organization of both ACCESS conferences. It was through ACCESS '93 that the first braille machine was purchased and the first telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) was purchased by this office. In order for disability issues to be addressed within the Alliance, however, they can not and should not remain solely the responsibility of the Human Rights Office. Thus, a key function has been to work toward the mainstreaming of disability issues. As needed and requested, the Human Rights Office worked with other sections of the Alliance to encourage and assist in their work on these issues. Most of the work with MDACs is now conducted by PSAC Regional Offices. Regional Offices As PSAC Regional Offices are the primary point of contact between members and the PSAC administrative structure, the offices must be accessible if members with disabilities are to be able to take part in union activities. Important improvements have been made in some locations in consultation of members with disabilities. This, unfortunately, has not been a universal experience and has created some frustration on the part of members with disabilities. In the refitting of one regional office, PSAC staff discussed the layout and plans for the office with members with disabilities in order to avoid building in barriers. They also took the initiative to consult with different disability organizations to learn about the various designs and adaptive devices appropriate for different disabilities. In another location, a staff member using a wheelchair raised the awareness of the office about accessibility and accommodation requirements. Parking spaces were laid out to give direct access to the elevator, pushbuttons were installed on streetdoors, and washrooms were upgraded. Chair arrangement in the meeting room was adjusted to allow for more space and adjustable height flip-charts were purchased. Other Offices have also responded to accessibility and accommodation needs in different ways. A chairlift has been installed in one case, OBUS back supports purchased in another and water bowls purchased for guide dogs in still another. As mentioned earlier, members with disabilities are the best sources of information about accessibility and accommodation needs. They need to be consulted about what changes have to be made, and they need to be kept informed of the action plans for making these changes. This consultation must be an ongoing process to establish consistency and trust in a context where there has historically been very limited accessibility. While members with disabilities may sometimes have to miss a meeting where an accommodation has been made, they need to know that the process of making these meetings accessible will continue. "The new Hull office will open with many facilities the old one lacked - but it won't end there. As needs are identified, as technology changes, as money is available, the office will evolve. As we learn, the experience will make us better prepared for any future facilities. Accessibility means an ongoing process of welcoming and really including persons with disabilities. Accessibility means strengthening our union. Together, by supporting this goal at all levels, we will make it an achievement and not a hope." (Arthur Carkner, Alliance, Summer 1994, Vol.7,#2.) "In Toronto, the premises were just renovated but the entrance doors to the office and the washrooms do not have push button access. I do not use a wheelchair and am able to stand upright but I find these heavy, key access doors a problem. The premises are rented and so the funds are not available to us. We approached management but received the old 'TOO EXPENSIVE' excuse. In London, the Regional office is located in a condominium complex and the same run around is happening over access ramps, push button door access and designated parking." (Barbara Townsend-Batten, London, Ontario) Education PSAC courses are crucial to members. It is through courses that they learn about how their union works, their rights in the workplace and how to interact effectively with other union members and with the employer. If the courses are not accessible in the broadest sense to members, and if they do not reflect the job experiences of persons with disabilities, then they provide second-class service or worse to members with disabilities. Recognizing this, the Education section at the Alliance has made a commitment to be more inclusive of members with disabilities. At the PSAC Education Conference in 1993 staff spent time focusing on how to better respond to the needs and expectations of all equity groups. They looked at recruitment, selection, program content and facilitation. A commitment was made to do more outreach to equity groups in the recruiting for courses. This recognized that the promotional material for courses had to be more inclusive. In trying to make these commitments reality, the Education section has followed up with the improvement of various tools used to prepare for courses. Registration forms now include space for members to self-identify and to describe any requirements related to their disability. This is to give course organizers the information they need to provide accommodations for members with disabilities so that they can fully participate in the course. Accessibility checklists have been prepared and distributed to Regional Office staff to help them evaluate locations for courses and accommodation requirements for those with disabilities. The types of accommodation which have been made are varied. In some cases material has been prepared in alternate format (eg. braille, large print), while in others adjustable flip charts have been made available for members in wheelchairs. As well, sign interpretation, American Sign Language or Langue des signes quebecois, has been provided. Still other accommodations have been made for blind participants and their dogs. At the completion of courses members with disabilities are encouraged to evaluate all aspects of the course including accessibility. The evaluation forms permit identification of any barriers to course participation. The PSAC Education section is also addressing the need to review the content of courses so that it is more inclusive of members with disabilities and their work concerns. As videos are being produced to accompany training modules, persons with disabilities are invited to participate and add their input on how particular workplace issues affect them. There is also an awareness on the part of education staff to review course content and revise or eliminate material and approaches that reflect ableist attitudes and assumptions. (Ableism is the assumption that disability or impairment is not within the normal range of human existence and, as such, is not necessarily considered when preparing for everyday events or activities.) Cases Involving Disability The PSAC has worked hard to win cases recognizing the duty of the employer to accommodate persons with disabilities rather than simply terminating their employment. Unfortunately, not all of these cases have been ultimately successful, often due to the peculiarities of the Public Service Staff Relations Act and other federal Acts that concern Alliance members. In the early 1990s, the Alliance initiated action in a number of cases. The most well-know is MacNeil, which was ultimately lost at the Federal Court level for the reason outlined above. However, in the DeKoning case the Alliance was more successful. As well, the Alliance has won a more recent case, Deering, at adjudication. While the PSAC continues the long and slow battle to
advance tese rights in the courts it also makes information on duty to accommodate
available to members throughout the union. One Component held a special workshop on duty
to accommodate and the information gathered for this workshop has been made available at
MDAC meetings and was updated for distribution at ACCESS '95.
Case Summary 2
Case Summary 3
PSAC Conference Facilitation The PSAC Conference Facilitator works with the various areas of the union that are planning major conferences or events and is responsible for travel, hotel and other logistical requirements for Alliance conferences and meetings. This has included the arrangements required for ACCESS '93 and ACCESS '95. To support the commitment of the Alliance to making all of its events accessible to members with disabilities, certain tools outlining accessibility requirements and considerations have been prepared by the Facilitator. (See Appendix H - Access Checklist: Site Inspection) It has become clear that the matter of accessibility and accommodation for members with disability must be part of the process -not an aside, not an afterthought. Like translation it must be considered part of the process from the beginning. Therefore, accessibility is considered in the early stages of planning - when hotels are being evaluated as possible sites for conferences and conventions. The availability of accessible hotels varies considerably from city to city, especially as there are no national guidelines for accessibility in the hotel industry. In negotiating with hotels, PSAC has had some success in persuading the hotels to carry out certain upgrades to improve accessibility. The PSAC Conference Facilitator points out: "Yes, there are obstacles. But you can break these down once the hotels understand why and understand that they may not get the business if they are not accessible. They also need to understand that it is good for their corporate image." In the planning of the two ACCESS Conferences for PSAC members with disabilities, the Conference Facilitator worked with the conference committee from start to finish on the requirements of participants. This ranged from the design of the registration form to any needs participants might have in making their trip home after the Conferences. It is important that the knowledge and experience gained from making these two conferences accessible has been made available to others both within and outside the PSAC. This information has been particularly useful to the organizers of the PSAC Women's Conferences. The organizers of these conferences have led the way in ensuring solid representation of equity group women at these events. It has been important that those women with disabilities who attended could count on arriving and finding that attention had been given to making the conference accessible. (See Appendix G - Conference Accessibility) "Conference accessibility includes an examination of the meeting space, hotel accommodation and accommodating special needs of persons with different disabilities during registration, plenary sessions and workshops. The conference registration form should include a section which can permit members to indicate whether they have a special need which should be accommodated. The text should be specific enough to let members know that the PSAC is committed to the accommodation of special needs and preferably have boxes which members can choose from and enough space for elaboration of the special need. For example, a member who has identified that she uses a wheelchair will need a wheelchair accessible room and the meeting area (plenary and workshop room) will need to be set up to allow barrier free movement from one area to the other. It will also be necessary to find out whether this participant will need special ground transportation from and to the airport and any planned outings during the conference." (Excerpt from the PSAC Women's Conference Handbook, 1995) Communications Communications has at least two functions when dealing with disability issues. On the one hand, the Alliance has raised awareness of disability issues by frequently writing about these issues in its publications. There have been a number of articles in Alliance, a quarterly magazine, which is distributed to all PSAC members. The Union Update, a bi-weekly newsletter sent to local officers for posting and circulation to all members, has also carried information pieces of particular interest to members with disabilities such as:
On the other hand, in the matter of improving communication to members with disabilities, the Alliance has yet to implement aspects of the PSAC Policy on Alternate Formats for Members with Disabilities. This Policy calls for publications prepared for distribution to all members to be provided to members in the required formats, such as braille, large print or disk. As of early 1996 this was happening in only a few cases. For example, the Alliance magazine was being prepared in alternate format in only one case. Meanwhile, the network list mentioned above of members with disabilities and the alternate formats they required existed in the Human Rights Office. Subsequently, the section of PSAC responsible for the Alliance has sought out the network list from the Human Rights Office and made a commitment to correct the oversight. It is important that areas throughout PSAC also seek out the network list and use it in their preparation of publications. Another aspect of the PSAC Policy on the Provision of Alternate Formats for Members with Disabilities requires that "printed material produced by the Alliance, which is intended for a specific audience, will be made available, upon request, in the requested format". To meet this requirement efficiently and in a timely way, the Alliance will need the proposed automated membership system which will include information about the alternate media requirements of members with disabilities. The PSAC Policy on the Provision of Alternate Formats for Members with Disabilities also speaks to the needs of the hard of hearing and deaf when the Alliance is involved in video production. When a video is prepared by the Alliance, an open-captioned version is to be produced and made readily available. The Policy also states that where the Alliance is producing print material or videos in cooperation with another organization or is purchasing this material from an external source, all attempts will be made to ensure the materials are available in alternate formats (see Appendix C, PSAC Policy on the Provision of Alternate Formats for Members with Disabilities). The implementation of this policy directive has fallen through the cracks. Videos were not being prepared in open-captioned format as of early 1996. This means that PSAC members who are deaf or hard of hearing will not be able to equally participate in those courses, local meetings, conferences, etc. if these videos are used. Personnel A major step forward for the Alliance was the 1995 signing of an Employment Equity Plan for Alliance employees that was jointly developed by the PSAC and its two staff unions. This plan is one of the most extensive Employment Equity Plans in North America and addresses a broad range of issues related to disability and accessibility. As well, both the Alliance and the staff unions have organized a variety of events for staff to increase awareness of disability issues. PSAC members with disabilities have been invited to speak on various issues and there has been a display of equipment purchased by the PSAC related to special needs, including two braille printers, a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) and a Porta-IR hearing amplification system. Negotiations While there have not been a great number of bargaining demands submitted pertaining specifically to disability issues, negotiations have been conducted to win language that provides protection for members with disabilities. These include general provisions prohibiting discrimination and harassment. The Alliance is also an active participant in Joint Committees at various levels where discussions take place between the Employer and a number of different unions on matters that touch disability issues. This affords PSAC the opportunity to put forward and argue for improvements to disability insurance, pension plans and extended health care, all of which have important repercussions for members with disabilities. Organizing The Alliance is currently involved in the active organization of new bargaining units. The changing demographics of the labour force require the Alliance to be aware of human rights issues and how they affect members and potential members. The Alliance recognizes that unions are not always seen as allies by equity groups. Current Alliance initiatives include those that will help foster better links with the community, including equity groups. In carrying out these activities the Alliance wishes to increase understanding of what the union is about. It is hoped that this increased understanding will mean that when workers become members of the Alliance they will be much better informed about the union and already be aware of its commitment to many of their issues. As part of this initiative, the Alliance became a major sponsor in the 1995 Ottawa-based Labatt's 24 Hour Relay. This is a fund raising event for the Royal Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre. As part of its sponsorship, the Alliance provided various services in kind (such as printing) to the event organizers and fielded a number of teams to directly raise funds. It was a chance for the Alliance participants to learn more about the work of the Rehabilitation Centre and for members of the community to take note of the Alliance's commitment to community issues. Where To From Here? Without a doubt, the Alliance has moved forward on disability issues since 1990, and it is fair to say that the Alliance has taken a leadership role in the Canadian labour movement on these issues. As members with disabilities have identified their concerns and pressed for change, the PSAC has responded positively. A great deal of groundwork has been laid for addressing the accessibility requirements of members and, in many cases, the necessary follow-through has taken place. However, this has often been the result of the independent commitment of particular sections of the organization or of particular individuals. Implementation Of Existing PSAC Policy Papers Why has there not been consistent follow-up of the important PSAC policies and action plans related to disability? At the corporate level, the Alliance has not yet integrated into its operation the monitoring of the implementation of these policies and plans. In some areas, significant concerns of members with disabilities have been consistently pressed forward. In other areas, such as communications, the action required to respond to the essential needs of members for alternate formats has been only marginal and sporadic. In some cases, there has been an assumption that policies and plans would be implemented by the Human Rights Office, as opposed to by every section throughout the union. There are Alliance members with disabilities who are upset at the inconsistent application of policy. A frequently suggested solution is an officer at the national level who is solely responsible for ensuring the implementation of those measures required to make the PSAC thoroughly accessible and responsive to the needs of members with disabilities. With a much reduced Alliance budget, how viable is this option? And is it the best use of resources to advance the gains the Alliance has begun to make on disability issues? There is no question that the Alliance, as it carries out the reorganization and restructuring of its work, must find a way to ensure the consistent implementation of two key documents on disability, namely:
As well, the newly-adopted Policy on Disability Issues will require follow-up. MDACs While the formal PSAC structure undergoes change, the MDACs across the country must continue to meet and share experiences. Their feedback is essential if the elected officers and staff of the Alliance are to know of the successes and failures of the implementation of PSAC disability policies. If mandated changes are not taking place, members with disabilities need to connect with the various political levels to ensure that the changes are made. They have a variety of political channels to use in the Alliance. They can work through their Locals, their Components, their representatives on the PSAC Equal Opportunities Committee, and/or the members of the Alliance Executive Committee, particularly the Vice-President responsible for human rights issues. Not only do members in a particular region need to work together in MDACs but contacts from the different MDACs need to share information on a regular basis with one another. Persons with disabilities are not well-represented in the workplace and isolation easily leads to immobilization. This is yet another reason for MDACs to be officially established in the PSAC Constitution and provided with a budget. While conferences are sometimes dismissed as one shot events that are not worth the effort, they can be pivotal for certain groups. As noted above, members with disabilities are often isolated and benefit greatly from the opportunity to meet members and activists like themselves from across the country. Conferences have been essential in revitalizing PSAC members with disabilities as they worked to become more involved in their union and make their issues known. Coalition Work While MDACs are pressing for the consistent implementation of policies relating to their lives in the union and the workplace, other equity groups are doing the same. These groups need to share experiences and expertise. As resolutions relating to equity issues (ACCESS '95, UNITY '96, etc.) head for 1996 component conventions and the 1997 PSAC Triennial Convention, equity groups will be looking for mutual support in working to get them passed. Working in coalition on equity issues within the Alliance, MDACs, Visible Minority Action Committees (VMACs), and Lesbian and Gay Support Groups (LGSGs) can make progress on important issues of mutual concern. One area of mutual concern is that of the current downsizing within a broad range of employers. The reports from the Joint Adjustment Committees, which deal with labour force reduction in the federal government, are beginning to show clearly that those with disabilities are leaving the federal government at a higher rate than those without a disability. While part of this could be linked to the more advanced age of the population with disabilities, separations of those with disabilities continued to be higher than expected through the end of 1995. If this is happening in the federal public service, we can expect to see it as well in other sectors. This makes it all the more important that PSAC members with disabilities work with equity group members in other labour organizations and with members of disability organizations outside the labour movement. Employment Equity As noted above, we are not seeing increased representation of those with disabilities in the federal public service in particular, and will more likely see decreased representation. The implementation of the new federal Employment Equity Act in the workplace is an opportunity for the Alliance to co-ordinate the union's response to legislation containing provisions for which PSAC had fought. While the Act is only minimally stronger than it was before, it now covers large portions of the federal public sector. As well, it calls for the employer to consult with unions on its implementation. PSAC members with disabilities and their local officers and representatives will need backup and support from all levels of the union to make the most of this Act in the continuing fight for employment equity. The "Employment Equity for Persons with Disabilities: PSAC Plan of Action Regarding Employer Initiatives" outlines a number of commitments the Alliance has made to its members with disabilities on the strategies and tools to be used in carrying out this fight. (see Appendix D) While monitoring the advancement of employment equity plans outside the Alliance, PSAC will also need to monitor the implementation of its own progressive Employment Equity Plan. Conclusion In 1997 the Alliance is at a turning point in many aspects of its life. As it looks back on the outreach to and organizing of members with disabilities it can feel a sense of accomplishment. The PSAC is stronger and more inclusive because of this work. However, the Alliance has now arrived at a crucial point in its management of access and accommodation for members with disabilities. Members have read in braille policy papers that their union is committed to meeting their disability needs on a regular basis. And, members who are hard of hearing have attended meetings where interpreters have signed that the Alliance will make the materials used in courses accessible to them. Add to this the feeling of all members that the union must
keep them up-to-date and current on what is being done to protect their interests in the
workplace during this time of cutbacks and downsizing. This is a time when the
accessibility of information on a day-to-day basis is particularly critical to members
with a disability. Within this context, it will be a true test of the Alliance to see if
it can incorporate in all its other changes the ongoing implementation of the
accessibility and accommodation required by it members with disabilities. |