Tag Archives: key workers

Going back to normal would be the worst outcome of this crisis

By Chris Park | Fri 10th April 2020 - 1:00 pm

This global pandemic, and the consequent unprecedented changes to how we live, has laid bare the inequality that exists in our society.

Covid-19 has given inequality a human face when previously it was understood by many in the form of stats and figures, news reports, policy documents, while many more were oblivious entirely.

Workers who have often been considered to be at the bottom of the hierarchy – perhaps because their job is stigmatised for supposedly being unskilled or low paid or not requiring qualifications – are now completely essential to get us through this crisis. Retail staff, cleaners, public transport operators, fruit pickers, delivery drivers, nurses, social care staff, hospital and GP staff, refuse collectors (plus many more hard workers) are now carrying a terrible burden for the collective good.

They have always been our key workers, we just never recognised them.

These workers are facing the virus head on, often with little or no protection, to carry out their essential jobs to keep all of us going. They are also on the lowest wages, in the most insecure financial positions; their industries have often faced years of stagnant wages, staff shortages, underfunding, belligerent companies.

Two examples stand out to me: nurses and retail staff.