Disabled activists take over DWP welfare reform meeting
DAN - Free Our People! | 15.09.2008 11:48 | Health | Social Struggles | London
The Disabled People's Direct Action Network have gatecrashed a DWP meeting on disability and welfare reform to which no disabled people's organisations were invited, today (Monday 15th September 2008)
Breaking news: DAN have successfully disrupted the DWP meeting. More info when it becomes available...
PROTEST TODAY!
The Disabled Peoples' Direct Action Network are protesting at the Park Plaza
Hotel in Victoria in London where the Department for Work and Pensions is
holding a conference about welfare reform today. This conference has been
called "No one written off" by the DWP.
No Disabled People's organisation has been allowed to speak or even invited
to participate.
Disabled People say: "Nothing about us - without us" our expertise cannot be
"written off".
WE ARE SICK OF:
· Politicians who attack minorities - that they see as easy targets -
for public spending cuts, and biased media / press coverage that negatively
portrays Disabled People as lazy scroungers and benefit cheats.
· Lack of access to meaningful education and training, leading to a
lack of qualifications and job skills.
· Work in hostile environments where employers continue to
discriminate; i.e. Can't tolerate Disabled Employees that need part time and
flexi-time work due to Impairments and don't have mechanisms that allow
Disabled People to be absent without prior notification, for their condition
/ impairment.
· The lack of support to help us get to work and function in the work
place; eg, regular breaks, shorter hours and a working week that can be
adapted to suit our needs.
DAN SAYS DISABLED PEOPLE WANT:
· Politicians, press and media to wake up to the damage their words
do.
· Access to meaningful education and training, leading to proper
qualifications and job skills.
· Justice in the workplace with real penalties for discriminatory
employers.
· A positive approach to the inclusion of Disabled People, especially
those with Invisible and Fluctuating Impairments / Conditions.
· Solutions to poverty rather than policies that compound it.
· An end to the discriminatory practices of the Work Capability
Assessment for Incapacity Benefit.
· A fair and just system that enables Disabled People who seek work
and a non-punitive system for those Disabled People who cannot currently
work.
· Decent jobs with adequate incomes.
To contact DAN about today's action call:
At the action, Nick on 07956 682830 or
In the DAN Office, Karlo on 07956 346922 and Mike on 07956 856060
PROTEST TODAY!
The Disabled Peoples' Direct Action Network are protesting at the Park Plaza
Hotel in Victoria in London where the Department for Work and Pensions is
holding a conference about welfare reform today. This conference has been
called "No one written off" by the DWP.
No Disabled People's organisation has been allowed to speak or even invited
to participate.
Disabled People say: "Nothing about us - without us" our expertise cannot be
"written off".
WE ARE SICK OF:
· Politicians who attack minorities - that they see as easy targets -
for public spending cuts, and biased media / press coverage that negatively
portrays Disabled People as lazy scroungers and benefit cheats.
· Lack of access to meaningful education and training, leading to a
lack of qualifications and job skills.
· Work in hostile environments where employers continue to
discriminate; i.e. Can't tolerate Disabled Employees that need part time and
flexi-time work due to Impairments and don't have mechanisms that allow
Disabled People to be absent without prior notification, for their condition
/ impairment.
· The lack of support to help us get to work and function in the work
place; eg, regular breaks, shorter hours and a working week that can be
adapted to suit our needs.
DAN SAYS DISABLED PEOPLE WANT:
· Politicians, press and media to wake up to the damage their words
do.
· Access to meaningful education and training, leading to proper
qualifications and job skills.
· Justice in the workplace with real penalties for discriminatory
employers.
· A positive approach to the inclusion of Disabled People, especially
those with Invisible and Fluctuating Impairments / Conditions.
· Solutions to poverty rather than policies that compound it.
· An end to the discriminatory practices of the Work Capability
Assessment for Incapacity Benefit.
· A fair and just system that enables Disabled People who seek work
and a non-punitive system for those Disabled People who cannot currently
work.
· Decent jobs with adequate incomes.
To contact DAN about today's action call:
At the action, Nick on 07956 682830 or
In the DAN Office, Karlo on 07956 346922 and Mike on 07956 856060
DAN - Free Our People!
Additions
update: more info
15.09.2008 17:59
A bit more info, from a phone conversation with one of the activists who were there:
4 DAN activists protested outside the hotel where the DWP conference was happening. 2 others had booked places as individuals and were inside the conference.
After causing enough noise and disruption to temporarily halt the meeting, the protestors were allowed to get into the meeting, and got to speak directly to David Freud, James Purnell and Anne McGuire.
DAN successfully changed the course of a meeting that was originally intended to exclude disabled people's organisations, and forced disabled people's views and lived experience onto the agenda.
Whether or not they pay any attention to our voices, needs or rights (to be honest, probably not) this was definitely a success and a resurgence for DAN. Hopefully more and bigger is to come...
4 DAN activists protested outside the hotel where the DWP conference was happening. 2 others had booked places as individuals and were inside the conference.
After causing enough noise and disruption to temporarily halt the meeting, the protestors were allowed to get into the meeting, and got to speak directly to David Freud, James Purnell and Anne McGuire.
DAN successfully changed the course of a meeting that was originally intended to exclude disabled people's organisations, and forced disabled people's views and lived experience onto the agenda.
Whether or not they pay any attention to our voices, needs or rights (to be honest, probably not) this was definitely a success and a resurgence for DAN. Hopefully more and bigger is to come...
Danner
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