No. 581/15 TUC 'Dying to Work' Campaign

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Letter to Branches





No. 581/15
Ref: EX10/15
Date: 7 September 2015


To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues

TUC 'Dying to Work' Campaign
The TUC have launched their "Dying to Work" campaign and have requested the support of affiliated Trade Unions to raise the profile of the campaign and pledge to promote the new campaign.

The campaign is designed to support those workers fighting for their right to work whilst coming to terms with their terminal illness, seeking to achieve dignity and respect that terminally ill worker deserve.

The 'Dying To Work' campaign is calling for additional employment protection for terminally ill workers.

The campaign was started after an employer tried to dismiss a GMB member following a terminal cancer diagnosis. 

Labour MEPs have joined the TUC to help launch the campaign in the European Parliament and meetings bringing together MEPs, Trade Unions and NGOs from across Europe have taken place to discuss plans to progress the campaign EU wide.

The campaign is calling for terminal illness to be recognised as a ‘protected characteristic’ so that an employee with a terminal illness cannot be dismissed as a result of their condition.

It might seem surprising that someone with a terminal illness would want to work, but many people don’t have a choice, they still have to provide for their families and pay the bills. It’s also about having the stimulation and dignity of being able to continue doing a job they enjoy.  Everyone should be able to choose to continue working if that’s what they want to do. Many people are passionate about their jobs and want what’s best for the organisation and their colleagues. It’s not at all unreasonable to expect employers to show their staff the same respect and compassion.

Although there is some protection for terminally ill employees, someone with a terminal illness can still be dismissed from their job if they fail a capability assessment with ‘reasonable adjustments’. 

A survey commissioned by the GMB found that 65% of people would support changing the law to protect terminally ill workers.

Sadly it's not at all unusual for terminally ill workers to be dismissed by their employers and Macmillan Cancer Support state that they are dealing with these cases on a daily basis. They say that legal protection would give everyone the choice about how to spend their final months and maybe years and provide the peace of mind of knowing their job was protected and the future financial security of their family guaranteed as far as is possible.

The Labour Group of MEPs has stated that they are delighted to have been able to launch this campaign in the European Parliament.  So many of the UK rights at work come from EU legislation and the group has given a commitment to work with my colleagues to get those rights extended and ensure that anyone with a terminal illness can have the dignity and choice of dying in work.

Potential Effects Of Losing Your Job Following A Terminal Illness Diagnosis

Reduced income and loss of financial security.
Loss of stimulation, dignity and normality associated with being in employment.
Undergoing an inevitably stressful and upsetting HR procedure.
Loss of ‘Death in Service’ and ‘Life Assurance’ payments to family members and loved ones.

The Campaign Key Points

The 2010 Equalities Act does offer some protection for terminally ill employees, however, the act still allows employers to dismiss a terminally ill employee if they fail a capability assessment with ‘reasonable adjustments’. The Dying to Work campaign would like to see terminal illness recognised as a ‘protected characteristic’ so that an employee with a terminal illness would enjoy a ‘protected period’ where they could not be dismissed as a result of their condition. The Campaign is pressing for additional employment protection for terminally ill workers who need greater protection from heartless employers who utilise a loophole in the law to dismiss the dying due to their illness. Every person battling terminal conditions deserves the choice of how to spend their final months. Such protection would give every person battling terminal conditions the choice of how to spend their final months and the peace of mind to know their job was protected and the future financial security of their family was guaranteed.

More information on the campaign can be found at:-
http://www.dyingtowork.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sign The Campaign Petition At:-
http://www.dyingtowork.co.uk/sign-our-petition/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Your support for this campaign will help raise awareness and put pressure on the Government to look again at the law and make the necessary changes to ensure that in the future, people battling terminal conditions will not have to worry about losing the dignity of dying in work.

Please share this petition with your colleagues, members, friends and family and encourage them to add their voice calling to make terminal illness a protected characteristic.

Thank you for taking the time to add your name to the petition in support of additional employment protection for terminally ill workers. Many people battling terminal illness up and down the country are currently forced to undergo stressful HR assessments to determine if they are still capable of continuing in work. Failing this assessment can result in loss of income, loss of the dignity of dying in work and worryingly the loss of death in service payments, all after diagnosis. The petition states:-

"We the undersigned, want to see the law changed to ensure that anybody batting a terminal condition in the future will not have to worry about their job and the financial security of their families but instead will be able to choose how they balance their work life over the final few months of their lives."

Campaign Supporters

Support for this campaign will help raise awareness and put pressure on the Government to look again at the law and make the necessary changes to ensure in the future, people battling terminal conditions will not have to worry about losing the dignity of dying in work, their financial security and their hard earned death in service payments that provide peace of mind for people in this difficult position and much needed security for their families.  The TUC is grateful for the support of the unions and solicitors mentioned below.

Contact Address:
TUC - Dying to Work
24 Livery Street
Birmingham
B3 2PA
Telephone:
0121 236 4454
Email:  contact@dyingtowork.co.uk

Yours sincerely
 


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer