Fears that the recession is having a disproportionately large impact on disabled workers have been discussed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

This debate took place at its annual disability conference in London yesterday (May 20th) because history shows that times of trouble can see such employees faced with discrimination and unfair selection for redundancy, the TUC says,

As disabled workers find it more difficult to find alternative employment too, the organisation claims it is imperative they remain in jobs during the economic downturn.

TUC deputy general secretary Frances O’Grady said unionists must be alert to these dangers and hold employers and ministers to account "for the actions they take".

"Otherwise, we face a reversal of the slow, painful progress we have made over the past decade in increasing the employment rate among disabled people," she added.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Remploy – a provider of employment services for disabled people and disadvantaged groups – says it is important to dispel myths around sickness and absence because disabled people are generally "less likely to be absent".

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