Homework
Standburn man Clive McGrory feels strongly that not enough is being done
to create homeworking opportunities for disabled people who have difficulties
accessing workplaces. To further his argument, he has taken it to the
Scottish Parliament as a petition, and has now appeared before the Petitions
Committee to ask for action (Official Report).
Appearing with Mr McGrory to give evidence to the Committee was Falkirk
East MSP Cathy Peattie. Ms Peattie is a leading campaigner for better
opportunities for disabled people, and was Convener of the Scottish Parliament's
Equal Opportunities Committee when it investigated and produced a report
on "Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities".
Mr McGrory's petition, PE1069, calls on the Scottish Parliament "to
urge the Scottish Executive to encourage employers to provide home working
opportunities for those with disabilities which prevent them from accessing
the workplace."
"There are many disabled people who, whilst not able to work in a
dedicated workplace, nevertheless have the capacity to earn a living if
there was the opportunity to work from home," Mr McGrory said.
Mr McGrory felt the meeting was productive and the initial outcome worthwhile
- the Committee agreed to seek views on the petition from the Scottish
Executive, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Equal Opportunities
Committee.
"The meeting highlighted the difficulties faced when trying to seek
home working opportunities. The DWP and Job Centre plus, two organisations
set up to assist in finding employment, simply do not have the capability
to advise. Also, employers are not always easy to convince," he said.
"I am trying to make employers aware that not only is this issue
important to the disabled community, it is also cost effective, and could
be used as part of the normal recruitment process. I am also trying to
make Parliament aware of the huge savings it could make from benefits
and social services costs, and gains through economic growth and taxation.
As Committee member Tricia Marwick said, the issue is not cost, but attitude,
culture and lack of acceptance of people with disabilities.
"It will be a long process as industry tends not to like change,
and is often loathe to take change on board. However, in today’s
society, and with today’s technology and infrastructures, change
has to be made. We have skills and still have the acumen to use them productively.
Our only drawback is that we have to work from home. Please give us that
opportunity."
Ms Peattie said that the petition would help to stimulate debate and encourage
the Scottish Parliament to build on its previous work.
"Disabled people want to work," she said. "They want a
decent living wage and sustainable employment, but there are many obstacles
to their doing so, and that is everyone's loss. In this age of new technology
and a skills shortage, it makes sense that working at home might be a
good option for someone with a disability, but the barriers that Mr McGrory
has faced are immense.
"The barriers that disabled folk face day in and day out are unacceptable.
We are losing people who would offer a lot to our communities. People
want the right to be able to work and to have some money in their pockets.
They want to be able proudly to say "This is my job", whether
the environment in which they want to work is work the workplace, at home
or in sheltered employment. It is no longer good enough to think that
a wheelchair ramp for disabled people deals with the issue. People with
disabilities have the right to work, the right to training and the right
to flexibility in the kind of work that they do.
"It is our job in the Scottish Parliament to make those rights operate
in practice, not just in theory."
(September 2007)
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