Today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) joins people around the world in calling for “fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.” 

The CMG employs staff representatives whose job includes supporting our members, and that work is at the heart of what we do as a union. Many members with disabilities continue to face barriers that make work unnecessarily difficult from inaccessible equipment or software to unclear accommodation processes. 

Disability often intersects with other forms of marginalization, including race, gender, Indigeneity, language, and class, deepening barriers to access. Many disabilities are also invisible, episodic, or fluctuate over time, and members may not feel comfortable disclosing them. Advocating for accommodations can be overwhelming and emotionally draining. 

How CMG supports members 

CMG staff representatives work directly with members to: 

• Navigate accommodation requests and ensure they’re handled fairly, promptly, and respectfully 

• Address disability-related issues with managers and HR, while protecting member confidentiality 

• Push back against inaccessible or unsafe work environments 

• Advocate for accessible technologies, equipment, workflows, and communication channels 

• Ensure employer policies meet human rights and accessibility obligations 

• Support members through medical documentation, return-to-work plans, modified duties, and benefit questions 

How members can help create more accessible workplaces 

Rank-and-file members play a key role in building accessible and supportive workplaces. You can help by: 

• Encouraging colleagues to reach out to stewards or CMG staff reps if they’re struggling with accommodations 

• Speaking up when workloads, deadlines, or production practices create avoidable barriers 

• Supporting colleagues without asking them to disclose personal details 

• Challenging ableist language, assumptions, or practices when they arise 

• Advocating for accessible production, post-production, and distribution — including captioning, described video, accessible digital platforms, and inclusive workflows 

• Ensuring colleagues with disabilities have access to training, career development, and leadership opportunities 

• Representing persons with disabilities respectfully and accurately in journalism and storytelling 

Accessibility strengthens our workplaces, and the media Canadians rely on.