The PSA is committed to building a world where work, and workers’ organisations, are accessible to all. As part of this work, we have put together a draft accessibility charter. We are now consulting with members about the draft charter.  The charter is available on this page both in writing and in NZSL.

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How to give feedback

The PSA really wants feedback from members about the accessibility charter, particularly Deaf and Disabled members. We have set up a range of channels for consultation. We have an on-line survey to provide feedback on the draft charter.

There will be two on-line meetings to provide feedback:
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Register for meeting on Wednesday 25 February at 12pm

Register for meeting on Wednesday 4 March at 4pm

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These meetings will have an NZSL interpreter

If you want to provide feedback directly, or discuss how to make feedback more accessible to you, please contact Grace Millar 027 7003417 or grace.millar@psa.org.nz

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Accessibility Charter

The PSA is committed to building a world where work, and workers’ organisations, are accessible to all. This charter covers our dual work of ensuring that PSA is accessible to all and organizing, advocating and campaigning to remove barriers for and discrimination against Tangata Whaikaha/Deaf and Disabled people.  This charter is based in the social model of disability – disability is caused by the organization of society and not by impairments or differences.

This Charter is a living document that incorporates PSA accessibility standards, policies and procedures and is regularly reviewed. This version is dated [date] and is fully endorsed by the PSA Board, signed on their behalf by [Name, Position, Signature, Date].

Purpose

The PSA organizes and advocates remove barriers and discrimination against Tangata Whaikaha/Deaf and Disabled people in work and workplaces. Weare  committed to ensuring Tangata Whaikaha/Deaf and Disabled People have the same access to work in public and community services a everyone else in our strategic goals.

Increasing our accessibility is a priority for the PSA. The Accessibility Charter is part of that commitment. The PSA want to ensure our information, digital channels, places and spaces, meetings and events, services, and equipment are accessible to all people, respecting their individual needs, dignity, independence, and beliefs. Accessibility refers to the absence of barriers that prevent individuals and/or groups from fully participating.  

Scope

This Charter applies to all of the PSA’s work. The charter is a commitment to the removal of barriers and full participation of Tangata Whaikaha/Disabled people who are current or prospective: members, delegates, employees, contractors, allies, partners, leadership, and visitors. The PSA has a roadmap of actions to ensure that Tangata Whaikaha/Disabled people can participate in the PSA fully, move about safely and easily and make full use of our facilities and services.

The commitments to accessibility in this charter include everyone who works at the PSA. In accordance with the principles of industrial democracy, the application of the charter internally shall be decided in consultation with Tahi Tū and governed by UMEM.

We know that removing barriers and increasing accessibility for disabled people, makes the PSA more accessible for everyone with permanent or temporary access needs for any reason. This charter focuses on Deaf and Disabled People/Tangata Whaikaha., but we know that ensuring PSA is accessible for Tangata Whaikaha/Deaf and Disabled people improves accessibility for all.

Elements Covered

The charter covers both our work organising to challenge discrimination in work and workplaces and our commitment to increasing the accessibility of the PSA.  

• Deaf and Disabled Workers organisation – The PSA will support Deaf and Disabled workers organising within the PSA and across the union movement
  
  • We have – A Deaf and Disabled Network.
  • We will – Continue to support the Deaf and Disabled Network at the PSA and wider organising within the union movement.
• Collective Bargaining – The PSA will use collective bargaining to remove barriers and make workplaces less disabling.
  • We have – Negotiated reasonable accommodation clauses into collective agreements.
  • We will – Develop model clauses for collective agreements on removing barriers and making workplaces less disabling.
• Discrimination in work and workplaces – The PSA will use its influence to challenge all forms of discrimination against disabled people at work.
  • We have – campaigned against the minimum wage exemption scheme and advocated to remove discrimination against disabled people.
  • We will – continue to campaign and take all opportunities to advance our goals.
• Training and Education – The PSA ensure delegates, staff and leaders have the skills they need to represent Deaf and Disabled Workers.
  • We have – Provided training to leaders and offered training to organisers on disability and employment law.
  • We will – Include the social model of disability and supporting members asking for reasonable accommodations in the training that all delegates and staff receive.
• Digital Channels – The PSA will meet WCAG 2.1 level AA standards for all digital content
  • We have – engaged a digital accessibility consultancy to assess all current channels.
  • We will – weave accessibility into all future digital solutions.
• Communication – The PSA takes responsibility for communicating in flexible and accessible ways
  • We have – Changed our practices to ensure that all audio/visual content we put out on any channel is accessible.
  • We will – ensure that everyone involved in communication throughout the organization has training in accessible communications.
• Assistive animals, support people – The PSA allows service animals and support people to be in our premises and at events
  • We have – created a policy around requests for service animals in PSA spaces, including holiday homes.
  • We will – provide facilities for feeding, watering and toileting these animals.
• Procurement – The PSA will include high priority requirements for compliance to accessibility standards from vendors
  • We have – identified that policies require review and update to meet accessibility compliance requirements.
  • We will – establish clear guidelines for future procurement engagements.
• Meetings and other events – The PSA will ensure that all meetings and events and spaces will be fully accessible
  • We have – amended our practices around events to make them more accessible and include accessibility in our debrief after events.
  • We will – create a guideline and checklist for accessible meetings and other types of events we run regularly.
• PSA Spaces – The PSA is responsible for providing accessible spaces
  • We have – conducted a building audit of PSA House in Wellington
  • We will – create an upgrade plan to ensure all spaces meet minimum building regulations
• Active Union Membership – The PSA takes responsibility for ensuring that all roles in the PSA (including governance, leadership and staff) are accessible to Deaf and Disabled people/Tangata Whaikaha.
  • We have – supported people facing barriers in an ad hoc manner.
  • We will – remove barriers that are excluding Tangata Whaikaha/Deaf and Disabled people by changing our policies, process and practices.

Accountability

The PSA will work on its own accessibility and use its influence to fight discrimination in the world of work. The PSA will submit completed compliance reports to the Board reporting on our own accessibility every two years, in accordance with the agreed schedule.

Feedback & Suggestions

We encourage everyone to give us feedback about how we are doing about our own accessibility. We undertake to respond positively and work towards taking action as quickly as possible. We also encourage anyone who encounters any problems, malfunctions, or deficiencies to report them to [Email address] or [Phone number].

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Accessibility Charter in NZSL

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