Westmorland and Furness Council has formally signed the Dying to Work Charter, taking a proactive step to strengthen support for employees diagnosed with terminal illnesses.
The charter forms part of a national campaign led by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and aims to provide greater security for terminally ill workers, ensuring they are treated with dignity, respect and compassion during the most challenging times.
Working closely with Trade Union colleagues, the council has committed to adopting and upholding the principles of the charter.
Council Leader Councillor Jonathan Brook signed the charter on behalf of the council and invited Trade Union colleagues to co-sign in partnership.
Speaking about the commitment, Cllr Brook said: “We are proud to sign up to the Dying to Work Charter, reaffirming our commitment to supporting colleagues facing terminal illness with compassion, dignity and respect. Partnering with the TUC on this important initiative reflects our shared belief that everyone deserves security and understanding at work, especially during the most difficult times.”
Jay McKenna, TUC North West Regional Secretary, said: “Your job should be the least of your worries when you get a terminal diagnosis.
“I’m delighted that Westmorland and Furness Council has shown real leadership in this area, working with unions to guarantee fair treatment for terminally-ill workers.
“We now have over 2 million workers being covered by the Dying to Work Charter across the country, and we expect more employers to commit in the coming months.”
Patrick McGlone, GMB Union Convenor, said: “I would like to thank Westmorland and Furness Council for agreeing to adopt the TUC’s Dying to Work Charter and also Maddy Wilkinson our branch secretary of GMB C15 Cumbria local government branch for allowing me to champion this on behalf of our members, and finally Unison in supporting us in our campaign.
“This commitment ensures that any colleague facing a terminal diagnosis is treated with dignity, compassion and security at a time when they need it most.
“I want to thank the elected members and senior officers for listening, engaging and ultimately supporting this important protection for our workforce. Their decision reflects a shared belief that no worker should face additional fear or uncertainty when dealing with life limiting illness.
“This charter is a meaningful step forward, and GMB will continue to stand up for fairness, humanity and dignity at work.”
Mandie Phinn, Branch Secretary, Cumbria County Branch UNISON, said: “I am immensely proud to have signed this charter on behalf of UNISON and our members alongside Westmorland and Furness Council and my TU colleagues. This is an important milestone for all employees of Westmorland and Furness Council and will go a considerable way in bringing them some peace of mind, at a time when there is already much worry and uncertainty, that it will be one less thing to worry about.
“My thanks go to Westmorland and Furness Council for embracing this, and particular thanks to Patrick McGlone of the GMB for the work he did to keep this on the agenda with the new local authority given the massive task and the multiple other pulls on our time and resources that we experienced during Local Government Reform.”
Learn more about the Trades Union Congress (TUC)’s Dying to Work campaign.