Disability advocates say they can't believe it. After apologising late last week, Myer's CEO now says he feels "hurt" by the customer revolt against his comments that critics say "put profits ahead of people with a disability."
In the space of five days more than 31,000 people have signed the petition started by Graeme Innes, Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner, that calls on Myer to show a "real commitment to people with disability" by implementing a disability employment target.
There's huge momentum. And Myer have just directly responded to Graeme acknowledging the petition -- but so far they've refused a meeting to discuss disability employment. They say the CEO Bernie Brookes is overseas right now -- can you join other petition supporters in calling for Bernie to commit to a meeting once he returns?
Post a message on Facebook now urging Myer's CEO Bernie Brookes to meet with Graeme about disability employment -- or you can email in to Myer's manager of corporate affairs here: jo.lynch@myer.com.au
Australia ranks 21st among wealthy nations in employing people with disabilities -- what Graeme and others say is one of the most important factors in whether people with disability can get out from below the poverty line. And after Brookes' comments that were labelled in the media as "insulting" and "disgraceful" over the past week -- Graeme says Myer needs to start being part of the solution on disability employment to make this right.
It could be a game-changing moment. For years, Graeme has been calling on businesses to implement disability employment plans -- and he says now is the perfect time for Myer to take a leading role as a socially responsible company by employing more people with disabilities.
Thanks for being a part of Graeme's campaign,
Nathan and the change.org team.
P.S. Graeme's planning on delivering the petition directly to Myer in Sydney soon, and would love to hear from people interested in joining him.
Get in touch at graeme.innes.2013@gmail.com -- he is also hoping to hear from anyone willing to share an experience of how employment has changed living with a disability/if you'd be interested at taking up a job at Myer if they increase disability employment.
Start a petition on Change.org.
