The Society of Radiographers has recommitted to an important TUC campaign that outlines support employees should receive from their employers if they are diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Dying to Work is a long-running initiative, led by the Trades Union Congress, that encourages employers to offer additional protection for terminally ill workers and to stop employers dismissing those employees due to their illness.
On Friday 11 April, the SoR re-signed the Dying to Work charter at its HQ in Bermondsey, London, committing to protecting its own staff in the face of a life-limiting diagnosis.
Speaking at the event, SoR CEO Richard Evans explained the significance of signing the charter for SoR members.
“The Dying to Work charter is a TUC initiative and it aims to get agreement between individual employers all around the country - all sorts of employers - and their staff representative union to look after people who are in their employment if they have a terminal illness,” he explained.
“As a trade union, it certainly makes sense for us to look after our own staff in that way and have this as an agreement between the staff union and the management, so that if any of our employees do have the difficult time of facing a terminal diagnosis, they know they can rely on us to treat them fairly.”
What does the charter outline?
The Dying to Work campaign was established in 2016 following the case of Jacci Woodcock, a sales manager from Derbyshire who was mistreated by her employer after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in 2012.
The charter has four main points:
Recognising that terminal illness diagnoses need support and understanding
Ensuring that terminally ill employees will be supported by their employer after their diagnosis
Providing terminally ill employees with work security and the freedom to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families
Supporting the Dying to Work campaign, specifically the protections for employment and the death in service benefits for their loved ones
Rhys Martin, health and safety policy officer for the SoR, was present at the signing.
“Trade unions should be the gold standard employer,” he said. “It’s good that the SoR is outlining that they are, in that regard.”
“I think it’s really good from the SoR’s perspective, that they’re openly saying that - alongside the TUC - we can be an employer where staff are supported.”
SoR recommits to charter
The SoR previously signed the charter in 2018.
Mr Evans said at the time: “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”.
Over the years a number of NHS trusts have signed the Dying to Work charter. These include the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
Sam Gurney, regional secretary for TUC London also attended the charter signing. He praised the SoR for recommitting to the charter and emphasised how many employees it already supports.
“I’m really pleased the SoR is recommitting to the Dying to Work charter,” he said. “It’s a campaign to get employers to work with unions to do the right thing and support any worker or employee who has a terminal diagnosis and wants to continue working to be able to do that.”
“It covers millions of employees around the country. We’re really pleased that the SoR - a key affiliate - has committed to it.”
To find out whether your employer has signed the Dying to Work charter, check out the ‘Who’s signed?’ page on the Dying to Work website here. To find out more about the Dying to Work campaign, clickhere.
More information on the SoR and its position as a trade union is availablehere.