By Josée-Anne Spirito, PSAC North Regional Executive Vice-President
Each year on Dec. 3, we recognize International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Since its proclamation by the United Nations in 1992, IDPD has aimed to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life.
This year’s theme, ‘fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,’ reminds us that there is no real progress without the inclusion and leadership of people with disabilities, and calls on us to foster communities where every person, regardless of ability, can live, work and participate fully.
The fact remains, workers with disabilities are hired less. When they are hired, they often face unstable jobs and discrimination. According to Statistics Canada’s latest data from 2024, a majority (69 per cent) of working Canadians with disabilities or long‑term conditions faced barriers at work, with nearly half reporting that those barriers significantly impacted their ability to do their job.
Many of these workers also reported struggling with disclosing their disability, lack of support from colleagues or managers, and inadequate accommodations. Less than half believed they could compete equitably for promotions, highlighting persistent gaps in workplace inclusion.
This discrimination can take many forms, including unfair disciplinary action, denial of benefits or opportunities, harassment, denial of accommodations or being treated differently or disadvantaged at work. It doesn’t have to be intentional.
Our labour laws contain hard-won protections for workers who experience discrimination on prohibited grounds, including disability. Workers employed by the federal government or regulated by the Canada Labour Code are protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act, while territorial government workers or workplaces falling under territorial jurisdiction are covered by the Northwest Territories Human Rights Act. Those experiencing discrimination should explore the protections they are afforded and the recourse available to them, and know they are not alone.
Beyond these basic protections that all workers benefit from, our communities must actively support persons with disabilities to live and thrive. For many, however, adequate levels of support are simply not available. Moreover, eligibility criteria are often strict, and application processes too hard. As a result, many people with disabilities and their families endure the added burdens of poverty. Living and working in the North, a lack of concentrated social services and under-resourced healthcare systems can make life that much more difficult for persons with disabilities.
The labour movement has always played a critical role in supporting the rights of persons with disabilities in our communities, our workplaces and our unions. In collective bargaining, workers have fought for disability leave, accessible workspaces, anti-discrimination protections and more inclusive workplaces for everyone.
Workplace accommodations, equitable hiring and barrier-free environments make a difference, but this work must go beyond the bargaining table. In our organizing, leadership, and political advocacy, we need to support members with disabilities at the forefront of the labour movement.
We still have a long way to go. The fight for a society that recognizes and encourages the full participation of all people should be driven by workers with disabilities who organize and share their knowledge, and supported by all workers in the spirit of solidarity, pushing employers and governments to do better.
The struggle for disability rights is a union fight, and a call to action for all workers. That means it’s not enough to say we support inclusion. We must actively build spaces where persons with disabilities can lead with dignity, where their voices are centered and where they have a real say in decisions that affect their lives.
This column appeared in the Yellowknifer on December 27, 2025.