The General Workers’ Union (GWU) has publicly expressed its support for the government’s consultation on the introduction of voluntary assisted euthanasia for adult patients suffering from terminal conditions and facing the final months of life.
Recognizing the enduring importance of palliative care, the GWU stressed that any future framework must uphold a patient’s personal decision—often made under immense suffering—with dignity and compassion. The union described assisted euthanasia as a matter of individual rights, choice, and autonomy, rooted in respect for the person’s dignity in death.
In its statement, the GWU emphasized that patients in extreme pain during the final stages of life deserve empathy and acknowledgment. “We can no longer ignore the profound suffering experienced by some individuals at the end of their lives,” it said. “This should be an act of respect and mercy in alignment with the patient’s personal will.”
The union asserted that any such process must operate under clear, strict criteria and be professionally supervised by the medical sector, in line with proposals set forth during the public consultation. Simultaneously, the GWU echoed the need for continued robust investment in palliative care services.
The GWU urged that the debate surrounding assisted euthanasia rise above partisan politics. It called for a mature, truth-based conversation shaped by the testimony of healthcare professionals, empathy, and the lived experiences of families enduring such anguish.
The union concluded by reaffirming its ongoing commitment to protecting the well-being of workers and their families—especially during the most vulnerable phases of life.
