SoR signs up to Dying to Work charter

Published: 06 February 2018 Ezine

The Society of Radiographers has joined the growing list of organisations supporting the rights of workers with a terminal illness by signing up to the TUC’s Dying to Work charter.

Richard Evans, Society CEO, welcomed TUC Regional Secretary Sam Gurney to the Society’s HQ to sign the charter, which aims to combat discrimination against terminally ill workers and guarantee their rights.

The campaign was highlighted as an important issue for SoR members during the 2017 Annual Delegates Conference.

Composite Motion 2 called on Council to ‘support and publicise the campaign, sign up to the charter as an organisation and support and encourage union representatives to take the campaign details to the workplace and get their employers to sign up to the campaign’.

Richard Evans, Society CEO commented: “We’re very pleased to be supporting the Dying to Work campaign, which highlights an important issue for workers facing the most stressful of circumstances.

“We hope that signing the charter and committing to the Dying to Work promises for SoR staff will inspire our members to encourage their employers to sign up and promote the campaign. A number of NHS Trusts and Boards have taken the step to support their staff in this way. We want to see all healthcare providers leading the way in showing that work can be a support when living with a terminal diagnosis”.

Click here to find out more about the Dying to Work campaign, including how to encourage your employer to sign up.

The charter reads:

  • We recognise that terminal illness requires support and understanding and not additional avoidable stress and worry.
  • Terminally ill workers will be secure in the knowledge that we will support them following their diagnosis and we recognise that, safe and reasonable work can help maintain dignity, offer a valuable distraction and can be therapeutic in itself.
  • We will provide our employees with the security of work, peace of mind and the right to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families which helps them through this challenging period with dignity and without undue financial loss.
  • We support the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign so that all employees battling terminal illness have adequate employment protection and have their death in service benefits protected for the loved ones they leave behind.