Local 1000 Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month

In October, Americans observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month by paying tribute to the accomplishments of the men and women with disabilities whose work helps keep the nation’s economy strong and by reaffirming their commitment to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens.

Local 1000’s Accessibility Committee—one of 10 Human Rights Committees in our Union—spends all 12 months of the year working to ensure that accessibility for disabled workers is a vital part of the equity equation.

This year, the Committee is planning on expanding their own and the State’s knowledge of mental health and other invisible disability issues. The Committee had a speaker from Stop Stigma Sacramento at a recent meeting and is planning on setting up a statewide call with another guest speaker from the agency. The Committee is also looking at issues facing workers who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as discussing how to best educate workers about the rights to reasonable accommodation and other rights under the law.

They’ve also made appearances at Local 1000’s workplace events, and envisions joint activities with other Local 1000 Human Rights Committees.

About Local 1000’s Accessibility Committee

This Committee develops the affirmative action plan for recruitment and training of disabled members as Job Stewards, bargaining unit representatives, committee members and officers. They also recommend actions to remove barriers to participation and activism by disabled members and help District Labor Councils (DLCs) create strategies regarding issues affecting disabled workers. The Disabled in State Workforce Committee recommends appropriate job steward and leadership training modules on issues affecting the disabled in the workplace and coordinates their activities with the other Local 1000 committees.

Learn more about Local 1000’s Accessibility Committee and get in touch here.