Professionals with Disabilities Committee: An interview with Lemann Fung

Lemann Fung is the Executive Board representative on the Professionals with Disabilities Committee. He works as a Systems Operator for IESO and serves as a Unit Director.

IESO Unit Director Lemann Fung in the IESO Control Room. 

When was the committee created?

LEMANN: The committee first got off the ground in 2020.

What inspired the creation of the committee?

LEMANN: We were following in the footsteps of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) and mirroring a lot of their equity committees. We imagined a committee that would advance the rights of persons with disabilities and injured workers in our workplaces, the Society, and beyond.

What motivated you to get involved in the committee?

I wanted to help other Society members. All equity committees are important, but I see my role in this committee as pertinent to the representation I provide members in my own unit and local. This connection is clear to me when I think about the role of the committee in creating mental health awareness. Mental health issues can play a huge role in the lives of our members, and they sometimes affect workplace grievances.

What is one way the committee has had an impact on the union or its members?

LEMANN: Being one of the relatively newer equity committees in the Society, we’re still in our infancy. One of the things we’re trying to do is raise awareness. We publish a quarterly communications bulletin. It’s mostly promoted through social media. It raises awareness of disability-related issues.

Because we formed during the pandemic, our committee’s work often aligned with mental health issues. People were living in isolation. I remember that the timing of the committee launch was kind of uncanny.

As union representatives, it’s important we advocate for members when they require accommodations at work. And when it comes to some disabilities – such as mental health problems - there can be unique challenges when navigating accommodations with the employer. For example, if an employee is dealing with stress in the workplace, the doctor may recommend taking a two-week break from work. However, after two weeks, the pre-existing workplace stresses doesn’t magically disappear, especially when combined with personal life stress. As a union representative, my role is to help guide members through this often complicated and opaque process. As a committee, we can facilitate conversations within our membership around disability rights at work, looking at some of the complexities that arise.

"As a committee, we can facilitate conversations within our membership around disability rights at work, looking at some of the complexities that arise."

Mental health issues probably affect the largest portion of our membership. But as a committee, we’re not limited to discussions on mental health. We touch on physical disabilities, and we look at visible verses invisible disabilities.

We are trying to raise our profile within the union. Through building and growing, we can get to bigger and better things.

What can members do to support the committee or their colleagues who have disabilities?

LEMANN: We’re always looking for individuals who are interested in joining either the steering committee or the membership-at-large committee. Anyone who identifies as a person with a disability can join the at-large committee. There are a handful of people who run the committee from day-to-day, and these members form the steering committee.
When dealing with colleagues in the workplace, remember that not all disabilities are visible. There is a traditional view that a person with a disability is someone in a wheelchair. It’s a symbol that we use currently for accessible parking and accessible doors. But disability is not always physical, and it may not present itself so visibly. When it comes to mental health and neurodivergence, for example, it’s not always so clear cut. So be mindful of your fellow colleagues and members.

We’re always looking for ideas and stories. If you have your own story to tell but you don’t want to give your personal details, maybe there’s a way we can tell that story without disclosing your identity. Sometimes we can share stories in more generic ways. We’re always looking for ideas for our communications, so don’t hesitate to reach out.

To get in touch with the Professionals with Disabilities Committee, contact: [email protected].