'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?

Lots of "keyworkers" have been furloughed. They do critical work there just isn't so much of it atm. E.g. friend's husband is a lorry mechanic/recovery driver. When they're needed it's very much needed to keep the supply chain going but with less traffic on the road, they're not needed in the numbers they were. When government classified keyworkers (for schools) they could hardly say but only if you're really needed.

@LesleysChestnutBob there are other key workers that aren't easy to replace such as power supply workers and some back room banking staff. Replacing the latter is why there have been so many IT banking problems in the last few years.

Many key workers are working from home, not being particularly heroic but not wanting any praise. The key worker definition is quite something else, it’s so broad!

It’s only on social media that I’ve seen boasting and people acting as if they’re the next coming.

It’s not the sewage workers and so on that are dying or having to resign due to having to work in conditions that are not correct. Also we are not in normal times.

I'm a frontline police officer, and DH is NHS. We're both working full time shifts around each other to look after our 2 and 7 year old. One week we had one hour in the week when we were both at home in supermarket opening hours (24 hour supermarkets closing really screwed us over!). I used my badge to jump the queue at Aldi, otherwise there was no way I could have waited, shopped and checked out and got home in that hour. I made it with 5 minutes to spare as it was. However, the amount of dirty looks, tuts and comments I got made me feel so bad that I wouldn't do it again. My husband is working long days all weekend and tomorrow, while I'm home with the kids. Then I'm on long days Tues and Wed, then on Thurs and Fri he's doing earlies while I do lates. We shared 2 slices of stale bread for our lunch yesterday as we simply can't get to the shops or get an online food order (we do one but we get it delivered to elderly fil who is shielding with COPD). I have no idea when we can do our next food shop. But thanks to the sneery attitudes to 'entitled key workers' I won't be skipping any queues again.

"In Morrisons they have it on all the signs where previously it would have said “assistant”. “Please wait here until the keyworker is available to serve you” type thing"
That's ridiculous and embarrassing.

@mooching I'm a teacher too.

Dead important obv.

I personally see no problem in recognising those who have continued to go out to work as usual to provide essential services whilst the majority have stayed cocooned at home. I love that finally shop workers and cleaners etc etc are getting recognised for the hard work they do, whilst people who previously have looked down on them sit at home. Yet the world keeps turning without them.

The cleaners where I work are absolutely hammered, they were previously ignored but I have noticed lately people have expressed a lot more gratitude to them for their hard work keeping everyone safe.

As for those who have a letter or certificate, I have a large laminated card stating 'Essential Healthcare Worker' that is meant to be displayed in my car

As for those saying they are a keyworker but are furloughed etc..... well it gave me a laugh this morning anyway! Perhaps they are missing the irony on this thread.

My piano tuner reckons he is a key worker

"We shared 2 slices of stale bread for our lunch yesterday as we simply can't get to the shops or get an online food order"
Sounds like this is down to your shift patterns more than anything. Why didnt you do the shop when you had your day with the kids?

I mostly see it used where people are lecturing others about how to do lockdown properly. “I’m a key worker, I have to go out” whilst bitching that people are out.

I’m not going to take a lecture about lockdown from people who still leave their homes every day and go to work.

YANBU. I’m sick of others going on about it now. The only people that deserve it are the NHS workers working to save people’s life’s.

(Yes I’m a key worker too!)

"Many key workers are working from home"
I dont see how this is the case. Have these people awarded themselves keyworker status just to get childcare while they work from home? I just dont see how you are a keyworker, at home? Surely the term keyworker denotes someone who has to be out and about in public facing roles.

@Alocasia Genuinely curious, what is your job role that is key and yet there is no demand for?

I would have thought that by definition, all key work was, well, key, and therefore carrying on throughout?

I’m not going to take a lecture about lockdown from people who still leave their homes every day and go to work.

It's a bit flawed that Mabel. We do have to accept that some jobs are critical during a lockdown. So you cant just dismiss criticism of folks being out as invalid.

@VerticalHorizon no he's in the group of people who cannot work from home.

He isn't a key worker as theatres, restaurants and other entertainment venues with live music are closed down. He's lucky he can still go around people's houses to earn a living unlike other people who work in the entertainment and hospitality industries.

I work in a supermarket (not morrisons) and we have signs thanking customers for "being local heroes" bleugh. They are just behaving as they should mostly. While it is nice to be thanked for working honestly if I had a choice I would be at home. Everybody is important whatever they do or don't do. We shouldn't be defined by our job.

Key work is not an absolute. It varies over time and with context.
If there was a food shortage, farmers might become key. If there was public unrest then police would be key.

If you are currently furloughed, by definition you are not key, but your ROLE might be (being performed by someone else due to lack of wider demand)

I’m classed as a key worker, but in banking, so not exactly a well liked job amongst public opinion at the moment. Lots of key worker roles out there.

@TabbyMumz if you work in various IT roles for government, banking, NHS, insurance, telecoms etc , do certain call centre work, manage supply chains etc you can WFH but are considered a key worker. This is because you do the back room functions that keeps things ticking over.

There are other roles e.g. broadcasters who can WFH (watch Channel 4 news and Al Jeezra) who are very visible. They are key workers.

@tabbymunz it is down the shifts. That's my point. We now have zero childcare due to covid, so totally have to work our shifts around the kids. This sometimes means me finishing work at 4 in the morning, and getting up at 7 with the kids so dh can go to work. This is due to covid, as usually the kids would have gone to family for a few hours. I won't drag my 2 and 7 year old around the supermarkets while social distancing is in place. Our local Tesco have only just started letting children in, and no one stays 2 metres apart.

@TabbyMumz There are probably a lot of key worker roles that can be done at home but that can’t be done with children around. One example is clinical psychologists who are doing telephone consultations. The sorts of topics they would be discussing could be traumatising for children to overhear. Not to mention those patients who are already struggling without being able to access face to face support don’t need the additional impact of their appointment being interrupted.

If you help to maintain hospitals (as well as other buildings), your job (role) might be key. But because the other building are closed, a team of 100 might reduce to a team of 40. 60 are furloughed, but their jobs are key. They as individuals are not key.
Some firms rotate the furlough, so then they work on a 3 week rota.

My husband is a key worker... we are carrying on like everybody else. Whilst I have respect for all key workers there is a big difference between frontline COVID ward and Dave in Sainsbury’s (not my husband’s name or job )

I think the key worker label is hilarious. Some people take it so seriously!!

To me though the funniest thing is the key worker who is furloughed!! How is that possible???