At Community, we are always working to improve our members experience at work as well as their pay. During pay negotiations with Lloyd Walters Industrial Services, our members asked us to try and implement critical illness and life limiting cover into their terms and conditions.
The reasoning behind this was that with chemotherapy lasting ok average four to six months, it would give these individuals the chance to focus solely on their treatment without any additional financial pressures.
They would not have to worry about how they would pay for their food, bills or their mortgage, and they could focus on themselves and their rehabilitation.
After we presented this idea to the company, we were able to secure an offer of six months full pay.
Alun Davies, National Officer at Community, says:
“107,000 people in the UK are living with MS? That’s the equivalent of three times the population of Port Talbot.
In 2015, 359,960 new cases of cancer were reported. That’s the same as filling Wembley Stadium four times over. There are over 2.5 million people are living with cancer in the UK.
We hope that none of our members will ever have to use this scheme, but now it is there for those who need it. It’s better to have it in place as a precaution than not at all, and is another example of how we are in our members corner when they are at work and at home.”
Jason Balston, Branch secretary at Lloyd Walters Industrial Services, says:
“We are immensely proud of what we have achieved for our members, and that LWIS has signed the TUC Dying To Work Charter. We see this as proof that our members are more than just a number, they are human beings who deserve to be taken care of in their hour of need. This scheme also shows that LWIS is a company that cares about their employees, and we were happy to work with them on this.”
If you are a member of Community and need help or advice, please contact us at help@community-tu.org or on 0800 389 6332.
© Community Trade Union 2023