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December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, an important reminder of our collective responsibility to advance accessibility, equity, and meaningful inclusion.
This year’s theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,” highlights the essential role that persons with disabilities must play in shaping the policies, decisions, and systems that impact their lives. Inclusion cannot be achieved for people with disabilities unless it is built with and led by people with disabilities.
A sustainable and equitable future requires removing long-standing barriers—whether physical barriers that limit mobility, communication barriers that prevent full participation, attitudinal barriers rooted in stigma, or systemic barriers that restrict access to opportunities and leadership.
These challenges persist across workplaces and communities, yet persons with disabilities continue to demonstrate leadership rooted in resilience, adaptability, and the daily navigation of environments not designed with them in mind. Their perspectives strengthen our union, fuel innovation, and help us identify solutions that benefit all workers.
Local unions have a vital role in advancing disability justice at work. This begins with listening: engaging directly with workers with disabilities, creating space for honest dialogue, and ensuring their experiences inform workplace policies and collective bargaining priorities.
Establishing a Workers with Disabilities (WWD) Committee is a practical and powerful step toward institutionalizing this leadership. These committees help identify accessibility gaps, propose improvements, and ensure that decision-making includes the voices of those most affected. Locals are encouraged to consult the “10 Steps to Creating a WWD Committee” and make use of the new Inclusive Practices Toolkit to strengthen their efforts.
Accessibility must be understood not as a special accommodation but as a fundamental component of fairness and equity. When workplaces embed inclusion into their culture, through training, barrier removal, representation, and structured leadership opportunities, everyone benefits. A more accessible union is a stronger union.
On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we recommit to amplifying the expertise, leadership, and lived experiences of persons with disabilities. Building a truly inclusive and sustainable future requires not only solidarity, but the recognition that persons with disabilities are integral leaders in shaping the path forward.
