'I'm a key worker' is the most overused phrase atm

[Imakeyworker]

Like a badge of honour. I heard one woman say it to 3 different people in a shop yesterday.

Technically I am a key worker.

Should I be letting everyone know about it?

I notice that’s your first post, Layla. Did you join MN to post that?

For the first time my very reluctant husband used the term Key worker yesterday.
He had to phone Sky and they will only speak to you if you are a Key Worker. Yes they did ask him if he was ( he is on the Gov list of key workers) but to be honest anyone can say anything

No I joined because I'm lonely. My fiance is in prison, my family live miles away and I just fancied talking to other mums.

What an unpleasant comment. Shit pay, shit conditions, working long hours makes them big headed for wanted to shop quickly and get home? Give your head a wobble.

The majority of NHS workers are doing a damn fine job. Everytime I buy something off eBay I donate to the NHS, but I don't clap. There are a few big headed idiots who work for the NHS but this is Scotland so what do you expect? They choose that career, they were aware of the risks and when I get my degree I'll be aware too.

As I was called to go in, this lady (dressed in casual clothes and flip flops so not on her way to work) went to the queue organiser, showed her an NHS badge and said 'can I go first? I'm NHS'.

Let's just wonder, for a moment, why NHS workers might not be out and about in the clothes they wear for work and might be dressed casually whilst traveling to and from work.
There's an answer in there somewhere I'm sure there is......

There's an answer in there somewhere I'm sure there is..

Hmm. Let me think... 🤔

When I worked at the local hospital, we were not allowed to wear our uniforms out of work. All to do with infection control.

I'm a keyworker I sit in my office drinking tea and reading books. I'm a bit underemployed at the moment, but I still have to go to work in case of an emergency (public transport). Some days I'm not needed so my manager tells me to stay at home, but I still get full pay. There was a rumour going around town that keyworkers got free travel, on production of ID, so that was fun, telling them they still had to pay. ("I work for the NHS! Lemme on!" No.)

My husband is a key worker. Postal worker. He's been delivering five times as much crap as usual. Comes home exhausted. He says the way people can help him is to not buy crap on the internet. DH has also been delivering medicines, medical equipment, some shopping, and C19 testing kits. By the way, he knows all the return addresses, including LoveHoney. All posties do. LoveHoney has been doing very well this lockdown, I'm told.

We don't go on an on about it. It's a job, and it helps us survive. If we didn't do these jobs, we'd be working in supermarkets or other service providers. So we'd still be keyworkers. Nothing special in itself, save for the fact services keep the country running, but, whatever. Only thing that's an advantage is my brother in law, who manages a large supermarket, managed to source us some flour last week. I mean, woo!

HeimdallSaysNo

If lovehoney is what I think it is, then no wonder people are ordering from them my fiance is in jail till October and I really, really miss him. I have everything I need here but surely you can understand that people have needs.

He says the way people can help him is to not buy crap on the internet

Well they could do that. Or the post office could take on more workers to meet demand. Personally I would go with the second option. It's not realistic to expect people to stay at home and not order the things they want /need. They'll just go out more instead.

My dh is a key worker but I won’t let him say it,although his company have plastered it on his van

^Well they could do that. Or the post office ^could take on more workers to meet demand. Personally I would go with the second option. It's not realistic to expect people to stay at home and not order the things they want /need. They'll just go out more instead.

I agree. I've felt so guilty ordering DVDs, books and Xbox games from eBay. They give me a break from studying and there's only so much Big Bang Theory I can watch. The postie in our area is cool with it though, I tipped him a fiver yesterday so tell your husband that he's doing an brilliant job

A good friend of mine is a postie. He says they are run off their feet but they don't mind because it's their job. Same as us in the supermarket - we're just doing our job (plus we get first dibs on flour etc as it comes in off the delivery - there has to be an upside, doesn't there?)

God yeah, this 'I'm a keyworker' thing is driving me insane

When lockdown first started , on our local Facebook group this woman said 'Are there any garages open who could change my car tyre? I'm a keyworker and need my car for my work'.
Cue, a competition of people offering her FREE tyres and repairs as she's a 'key worker'.

Nicely played

It seems to have less of an effect now

I was in the queue for Homebase this morning when two women went straight to the front of the queue and said we’re keyworkers. I can understand it in a food shop but on a Sunday morning in Homebase

Turnedouttoes

That kind of behaviour makes me so angry. They're abusing their power as 'key workers ' and not giving a flying fuck to anyone else.

When lockdown first started , on our local Facebook group this woman said 'Are there any garages open who could change my car tyre? I'm a keyworker and need my car for my work'.
Cue, a competition of people offering her FREE tyres and repairs as she's a 'key worker'.

That isnt the woman's fault though.

There are contexts where using the phrase is necessary, I would say this is one of them.

The woman needed her car for work, she needed a new tyre and presumably couldn't get to work/do her job without her car so it was a necessary request. Many companies shut down immediately and, in my area at least, that included garages except for a handful that were remaining open for emergency repairs for key workers only.

If you don't know who is open, most people use FB to reach out for personal recommendations etc and to assuage the slew of people saying "it's not a priority" the woman used one phrase "I'm a keyworker" to put her request into the context of a need instead of a want, and the fact it needed to be done asap.

My brother's car needed a couple of minor repairs doing - mostly cosmetic - and he dropped it off to a local garage 2 days before lockdown. He only got his car back yesterday because as soon as lockdown was ordered, the company shut up the garage and staff were not allowed to go into the premises. As his car was not essential for his job (he is wfh) the staff could not make an exception to go in and drive it out for him to collect, despite the fact no work had been started.