Received from: Nautilus
This Congress recognises that neurodiversity is a spectrum and a natural inevitable part of the workforce with an estimated 15 per cent to 20 per cent of UK adults being neurodivergent.
This Congress is concerned that neurodivergent people still face sharp labour market exclusion, with around two thirds of neurodivergent people in employment compared to significantly higher rates across the neurotypical workforce.
This Congress further notes that barriers to diagnosis and support remain severe, with hundreds of thousands of people awaiting assessment, and that these challenges are intensified at sea by isolation, long deployments and even more limited access to support.
This Congress believes that neurodivergent workers must not be excluded from safe, sustainable careers and that neurodivergent seafarers must not be excluded from safe, sustainable careers at sea.
This Congress, therefore, calls on the TUC to:
i. work with affiliates, employers and regulators to promote neuroinclusive standards in workplaces, especially in maritime workplaces
ii. campaign for timely access to diagnosis, support and reasonable adjustments
iii. support training for managers, staff and crews on neurodiversity
iv. press for maritime regulation and guidance to reflect modern understanding of neurodiversity
v. ensure neurodivergent maritime professionals are explicitly included in equality and retention strategies.
Nautilus International