Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

341 replies

Imakeyworker · 10/05/2020 09:20

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
TabbyMumz · 10/05/2020 11:23

"10storeylovesong

@tabbymunzit is down the shifts. That's my point. We now have zero childcare due to covid, "

But you are both keyworkers? Obviously I realise that wont cover all your shifts, but could they not go for day time shifts? Or when you need a sleep during the day?

"I won't drag my 2 and 7 year old around the supermarkets while social distancing is in place"

Why not? Most single parents have to.

Well theres why you are eating stale bread? Surely theres a small supermarket by you where you can pop in. Plus lots of local shops are doing deliveries, not just tescos etc.

Coffeecak3 · 10/05/2020 11:24

My dil works for a bank and the school tried to argue that she should work from home and was not a key worker.
Her response was that her employers would take a dim view of dil handing tenners through her living room window.

Rosebel · 10/05/2020 11:27

My husband and I are both "key" worker . I work in home shopping but on maternity leave at the moment. My husband works for the council cutting the grass, hedges etc. He and his colleagues laughed at being called key workers, they were never called that before!
Certainly don't use it to our advantage but I feel more sorry for frontline workers

bloodylongdrive · 10/05/2020 11:27

I am a ward sister on a "designated Covid19 ward" and yes we are short of PPE. I never say to people I am a "key worker" in fact I avoid telling people what I do altogether. I also don't believe in jumping queues for supermarkets etc although I have taken advantage of a 25% discount off my favourite clothes shop.
I had to listen to a family member on Zoom proudly telling me that she works in a "high risk area" (she's a PE teacher and knows what I do) and telling me she has to wash her hands regularly and wear gloves all the time when at work and how difficult it is. I just about managed to say nothing.

I also don't want to be clapped every week or told I am an "angel" or "wonderful" etc I know its well meant but its getting a bit wearing now.
I do want people (Jo Public) to be very angry that over 100 NHS staff have tragically lost their lives over this, I accept that not all caught it at work, but if only 1 did through failure of PPE then that is one too many and there should be an enquiry into how it happened to ensure that this never ever happens again.

Whatsername177 · 10/05/2020 11:27

I have no issues at all with frontline workers jumping the queue. I agree they need to do so. I didnt really mind the lady yesterday jumping in even though the queue was short and she was clearly shopping for bits and bobs for a BBQ rather than an essential food shop. What I minded was her yelling at me for not waiting whilst she put all of the stuff she knocked off back on to the shelves, just so that she could use the self service till first.
I wouldn't want to take my kids to the supermarket either, so I can completely see why @10storeylovesong didnt. But you've highlighted the issue- people who jump on the 'keyworker' train when they don't need to are actually stopping you from being feeling able to use your badge when you NEED to. I'd never, in a million years use my teacher credentials to skip a supermarket queue, because I don't need to. So far I've been able to go to the supermarket once per week at 9am on a Tuesday. People like you don't have that luxury so deserve the priority.

Lemonblast · 10/05/2020 11:31

DrMadeline ‘The bearer of this certificate’ Grin * I bet the guy who wrote that letter has his laminated and mounted Grin

10storeylovesong · 10/05/2020 11:32

@tabbymunz as it is I'm sleeping 3 hours on my night shifts, so then I can get up and DH go to work. If one of us went shopping in that time, when do you suggest I sleep? Or do you suggest leaving a 2 year old unaccompanied while we do this? We have a co-op round the corner. My DH managed to finish work half an hour early last week so I tried to nip before work. The queue was up the street. There's no way I could have made it in time.

"Could they not just go for day time shifts?!" Do you have any idea how the 24/7 emergency services work? Before covid, we could go when the kids were at school, nursery and family members had them otherwise. We could indeed nip to the shops in between. Thanks to the queues we are unable to do this. Do you genuinely not understand how difficult this situation is for frontline keyworkers? We don't go around talking about it. We don't ask for anything. But that one occasion where I needed that bit of slack... And people were too unkind to allow it.

As for single mums, I have nothing but respect. I was doing the shop for a local single mum until she managed to get herself an online spot. At which point she refused to add a few items on for me as it would take her over the items limit.

Footywife · 10/05/2020 11:35

Why does it bother you so much?

Lemonblast · 10/05/2020 11:36

Rosebel you’ve made me laugh. Can you not see the irony in posting on this thread to say you’re a keyworker on maternity leave? Grin

Alocasia · 10/05/2020 11:39

@caroloro I’m an optician. In normal times the vast majority of my work is routine eye tests and contact lens fits, but we do fairly frequently see people who are experiencing sudden loss of vision etc. In many areas people with these symptoms are sent to an optician rather than a doctor or the hospital. So at the moment I have one colleague who is still working ‘on call’ for emergency cases (triaged by phone) but all routine appointments have been suspended, so many of us have been furloughed. I guess in my role the VAST majority of my work is not ‘key’ but occasionally some bits are. Sometimes serious health issues (stroke etc) can manifest as eye problems so people need access to opticians even now.
There is also the odd case at the moment of other ‘key workers’ who are having visual problems and need eye tests - work are dealing with those case-by-case. If someone who has broken their glasses is unable to work then I think they could be seen.

PlasticFlowers · 10/05/2020 11:39

We are both “key workers”.

DH has basically been doing fuck all, well he cleared out the garage very nicely and I am actually doing some key work supporting vulnerable people.

I have a letter and a badge! I haven’t felt the need to use either though, or tell anyone 🤣🤣

GBroGal · 10/05/2020 11:50

My county council sent me a certificate to prove my key worker status and someone else upthread has a certificate too - I've only got a photocopied "To Whom It May Concern" letter that I could have typed up and printed myself. I want a proper certificate - i.e. recognition Smile

Mumofaboyandmanbaby · 10/05/2020 11:51

At my work people scream to me they are key workers and I am wasting their precious time by not doing exactly what they want. Not realising that I am at work so am technically a key worker too.

PrivateD00r · 10/05/2020 11:55

Plasticfloers,maybe you haven't felt the need because neither of you are working FT? Have you read the post that explains the difficulties families work when both parents work full time shifts? I don't think anyone would need to use a badge in your situation, would they?

Washyourhands48 · 10/05/2020 11:57

“ Do you genuinely not understand how difficult this situation is for frontline keyworkers? We don't go around talking about it. We don't ask for anything”

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

PlasticFlowers · 10/05/2020 11:58

Eh? I am working FT - at home where possible but visiting the office and visiting vulnerable children- I AM IMPORTANT!

🤣🤣

BlindAssassin1 · 10/05/2020 12:03

We've used it at work in jest: coming through, coming through, very important key worker coming through etc.

We've heard it a lot at work though (big supermarket), that and 'I'm an extremely vulnerable person.....' often used in defense of them being utterly vile.

The one time I've used it is seriously was to ask the school if I should still send the DC in just after the schools were shutting down. The answer was no, tough luck. My kids were thrilled.

TabbyMumz · 10/05/2020 12:28

"10storeylovesong

"@tabbymunzas it is I'm sleeping 3 hours on my night shifts, so then I can get up and DH go to work. If one of us went shopping in that time, when do you suggest I sleep?

You said in your original post that you looked after the kids for 3 days, while your husband worked. Theres 3 days you can sleep and shop.

"Do you genuinely not understand how difficult this situation is for frontline keyworkers? We don't go around talking about it. "

You just did.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 10/05/2020 12:30

I'm technically a (self employed) key worker, though the world wouldn't exactly stop turning if I stopped working.

I've noticed, however, that when I'm taking orders from the general public, people never ever drop into conversation what they do for a living unless they work for the NHS / are a nurse. It feels like the world and their dog is now a nurse. No, it won't get you a discount! You're still getting paid in full...

Lemonblast · 10/05/2020 12:39

Tabbymumz you’re the one who jumped on her post and picked it apart sentence by sentence Wink

Tumbleweed101 · 10/05/2020 12:40

I think it’s a way of explaining why you might be out and about as there are so many judgemental people about at the moment!

vodkaredbullgirl · 10/05/2020 12:49

I'm a key worker (senior carer, in a care home) and i got some yeast the other day Grin Not had to use my Im a Key worker card, not that i would.

OwlFox · 10/05/2020 12:50

Grrr yeah... And don't I hate it when I am at work and someone screams at me 'I am a key worker too, you are going to make me ill'. While doing my job which can't be done in a perspex box.

No love I don't fucking wanna be here. If you weren't here I could be at home Confused

GrumpyHoonMain · 10/05/2020 12:52

I am a key worker on mat leave dodging calls from my boss because he needs me to return asap.

10storeylovesong · 10/05/2020 12:58

@tabbymumz I've talked about it on a forum post about keyworkers... As have you. As has everyone else on this forum post. It would have been a very short post if no one had, and fairly pointless. I've mentioned it once in real life - when I quickly showed my badge to get into a store, then hid it under my jumper. I didn't say a word in store as I ran around, and didn't use it to jump to the front of the queue when in store.

Again, I ask you the question... If I'm sleeping and shopping on my days off, while my DH is in work, who is supervising my 2 year old? My 7 year old?

You may not understand how difficult life is for me at the moment. You may not care. You are probably out on your doorstep clapping at 8am. You are a hypocrite.

All I can say is that I am at breaking point. Genuinely at breaking point. People can sneer about keyworkers all they want. They are clearly in a privileged position to do that. I used my badge once - to get some essential shopping for my family. The reaction from that was horrendous and I've never used it again. I am drowning. I can feel myself sliding into depression - locking myself into the toilet to cry, both at home and at work. My friends are all furloughed - I understand how mentally difficult that is - but my WhatsApp groups were full of prosecco in the garden and home baked goodies. I've had to come off the groups as I couldn't deal with it, so my friendship groups are shot.

Im sorry you all feel the way you do about the term key worker. I don't use it anyway. I just say I'm going to work if anyone asks, not that anyone does. On my last shift at work I dealt with the death of a 2 month old, followed by a sex worker who had been trafficked and escaped captivity, followed by an 87 year old man who had come out of hospital and found his flat completely trashed. Mentally draining, but I came home feeling guilty that others had it so much worse than me and I should just get on with it. I then had a few hours sleep and set about trying to home school my very reluctant 7 year old. On the same day, my DH learnt that one of the young people who he supports had committed suicide. I'm sorry I didn't sufficiently plan my timetable around your exacting plans.

I already had a milk delivery before covid - I tried to up it and include eggs and was told they had no more capacity. I have a Hello Fresh box but this only makes dinners. I have tried the local delivery services - most of them book up within minutes of slots opening and I'm usually at work or trying to deal with the kids. I did manage to get a family hotpot delivered a couple of weeks ago. Like I said, I use my supermarket delivery slot for my fil who has COPD and can't leave the house. He has no computer and no idea how to order, so I do that for him.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.