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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Please can we now ban the phrase -'key worker'

266 replies

Hoppybunny · 19/06/2020 09:48

Way back in March it was relevant and distinguishing, but now the economy is creeping back to life why does every other post on mumsnet need to mention that they are a key worker! Surely every worker needs childcare provisions/access to shops etc and this badge of honour needs to end?

OP posts:
PleasePassTheCoffeeThanks · 19/06/2020 14:30

despite working all through the Furlough Summer a lot of non-key workers have also been working, haven't they?

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 19/06/2020 14:33

Yep pleasepass but some posters don’t like to mention this as apparently they’ve been siting all day watching Netflix Hmm

I’m a key worker, haven’t had a day off, one week in office, one week at home and carrying out essential visits to vulnerable adults and children.

FromMarch2020 · 19/06/2020 14:53

KW's working from home have also had the benefit of a school place (at our local schools) whilst they WFH without distraction.... other people who WFH had to balance home school/childcare with working....

IndecentFeminist · 19/06/2020 14:58

Liberal applications are down to the school tbh. If your kids' schools are playing fast and loose with the recommendations that's one thing. Ours has been strict throughout. I work in my kids' school and couldn't have had them in school until last week as DH was at home...school knew that as they know him too. However when more normal rotas started and he needed to be out more (also a 'key worker' just with more flexibility) they were then allowed to attend while k was working.

Crazyinlove03 · 19/06/2020 15:05

@hibbledobble do you think that makes you superior?

Idiidntstop · 19/06/2020 15:19

Confusedbymyheritage
Don't be unkind to Hibbledibble
Yes, S/he is a doctor working covidfrontline
Right now, she and her colleagues are more key than anyone and do deserve respect not snidey comments

Goodness you have no guile. Bet you would behave better to Hibble if they were treating your DD, partner or parents right now.

Respecting others contributions as key, does not take away from all the other people working hard and the difficulties they are facing. Children of doctors and nurses can't sit on the ward with them, the police officers DC can't go out on the beat with them, carers DCs can't deliver care with them, etc So I agree critical keyworker DC should be offered school places first, children on CP or EHCP plans and people ought be sensible where they are able to WFH and keep DC home ought to have. It's sad that due to a minority, PPs are starting to criticise all keyworkers, when you only mean those that were misusing arrangements.

Devlesko · 19/06/2020 15:24

As long as we can eat and our essential services are being covered it's really not important for others to have childcare.
yes, it would be nice but we are in the middle of a pandemic that will take years to recover from.
The economy is pretty shot atm, it's life, but it will improve in years to come, you'll just have to get used to it. You can't bring dead people back to life, so life is more important than economy.

seizethecuttlefish · 19/06/2020 15:35

My father, in his 60s has continued to work full time. He's not a key worker. He's in retail and the amount of verbal abuse he receives is appalling. A friend who works in IT has been flat out working the whole time, not a key worker. He has to stand in the queue for things and watch people walk by him because they can flash a badge. My neighbour is a "key worker". She wears it like a badge of honour. Every conversation, Facebook post..."as a key worker.." When asked she says she works for the NHS. She's had cakes delivered, shopping done for her. She regularly uses her work pass for early opening and bought a hot tub as she was allowed in first and the people queuing for hours just watched her. She was very chuffed about this. Then it came to light that she works 15hrs/week doing filing. She not front line. I have massive respect for the people dealing with COVID every day however let's have a bit of respect for other people who aren't key workers but have kept things going. I'm fed up hearing it now.

confusedbymyheritage · 19/06/2020 15:35

@Idiidntstop

Don't try and scold like you're my mother.

Hibble came across really quite superior in their post and I was addressing that. No one person is key, the job is, that isn't wrong. Even boris Johnson isn't key, the job he does is, and if he left/died/disappeared tomorrow someone else would do it.

If hibble were treating anyone I knew I would behave professionally and expect them to do the same and if they didn't would follow due procedure to report it, and if I didn't I would expect to be asked to leave similarly. Doctors are doing their job, yes a fantastic job that saves lives but still a job and no one is superior to anyone else for what job they do.

I never once mentioned childcare, or criticised key workers, as you'll se in my post I emphasised that it is just some taking the piss.

But I stand by my point that you can't expect sympathy for an aspect of a job you were well aware of when you chose to follow that career. Doctors and nurses work 12 work shifts, people in tax have the January and April rush, many hospitality jobs include working Christmas, bin men have to be up super early whilst chefs work late and pilots have to travel and spend time away from their families. Every job has positive and negative aspects and when you take one you choose to accept both.

formerbabe · 19/06/2020 15:49

When asked she says she works for the NHS. She's had cakes delivered, shopping done for her. She regularly uses her work pass for early opening and bought a hot tub as she was allowed in first and the people queuing for hours just watched her. She was very chuffed about this. Then it came to light that she works 15hrs/week doing filing

Exactly the nhs is a huge organisation...many staff members will be back office admin, finance etc. I have no idea why they need priority entry into supermarkets or discounts in shops, cafes etc.

FreeFromDinoMeat · 19/06/2020 15:51

My friend who works as a nurse for the NHS loathes the discounts and queue jumping etc. She is always posting online saying she doesn't understand it, her job hasn't changed, she isn't the one losing money or the one who has the possibility of redundancy looming over her. She's precisely the type who doesn't need discounts for everything.

TheHoneyBadger · 19/06/2020 15:54

[quote confusedbymyheritage]@Idiidntstop

Don't try and scold like you're my mother.

Hibble came across really quite superior in their post and I was addressing that. No one person is key, the job is, that isn't wrong. Even boris Johnson isn't key, the job he does is, and if he left/died/disappeared tomorrow someone else would do it.

If hibble were treating anyone I knew I would behave professionally and expect them to do the same and if they didn't would follow due procedure to report it, and if I didn't I would expect to be asked to leave similarly. Doctors are doing their job, yes a fantastic job that saves lives but still a job and no one is superior to anyone else for what job they do.

I never once mentioned childcare, or criticised key workers, as you'll se in my post I emphasised that it is just some taking the piss.

But I stand by my point that you can't expect sympathy for an aspect of a job you were well aware of when you chose to follow that career. Doctors and nurses work 12 work shifts, people in tax have the January and April rush, many hospitality jobs include working Christmas, bin men have to be up super early whilst chefs work late and pilots have to travel and spend time away from their families. Every job has positive and negative aspects and when you take one you choose to accept both.
[/quote]
They didn't sign up to face a pandemic with worse PPE than Doctors in developing countries though did they? Or to have to fight to get a test for said disease whilst worrying they are infected and are cross infecting vulnerable people in their care.

You're being selectively dim I hope rather than the alternative.

confusedbymyheritage · 19/06/2020 15:58

@TheHoneyBadger

I never said they did, and they are welcome to take umbrage with that. However the poster I was addressing specifically mentioned the working long shifts and that's what I was addressing with my post - the known parts of the job.

sunshineandshowers21 · 19/06/2020 16:00

i think for some people being a key worker has become part of their identity. a mum from my son’s school writes a status on facebook every day almost making sure to let everyone know she’s a ‘key worker working on the front line’ - she works in a chemist, which yes is a key worker but you’d think she was personally curing people of coronavirus the way she’s carrying on. her husband is also a key worker - he works in a care home - and they even had engraved shield things made with the words key worker and covid hero (i really wish i was making this up!) that they plastered all over their facebooks, as well as the local facebook page and the school’s pta page. as well as having medals made for their kids for being so ‘brave’ during lockdown Hmm

HeIenaDove · 19/06/2020 16:09

Yanbu, I work in a large HA, the amount of people wanting preferential treatment as they are a “key worker” is astounding

supermarket staff

Where do you think they live given their pay is so low.

Cognitive dissonance in action.

Yankathebear · 19/06/2020 16:28

I’ve never used the term (nor the perks) but have had it used as a term to insult me. How dare I quietly go about my day doing my job.
I’m sorry for being on ‘the list’.
I’ll be glad when nurses go back to being ignored until needed.

oo0Tinkerbell0oo · 19/06/2020 16:43

I work directly caring for Covid patients on a ward. I dont want any thanks for it, yes it has been stressful, scary, surreal at times but it's my job.
Although the clap for carers was a nice thing to begin with i think it should have stopped at a one off.

Kilbranan · 19/06/2020 16:54

Not all key workers children have had access to school - mine haven’t. In my area children only able to access hub if both parents keyworkers. I’m frontline nhs staff and been working a lot of extra shifts. My dh has been working from home (and warehouse) whilst looking after our 4 kids. It’s been utterly shite but I do think it’s been shite for lots of people, if not most.
It’s just annoying to hear people assuming we have all these perks when we’ve (personally) had none!

itsgettingweird · 19/06/2020 16:56

As a public sector servant we are usually the ones slagged off.

I'm going to refer to myself as a critical or keyworker forever now. Grin

I don't give a shite if people think I/we should or not.

Everyone is talking about how the country needs what I do. About time some people were noticed!

Idiidntstop · 19/06/2020 16:58

Confusedbymyheritage
Who wrote
Don't try and scold like you're my mother.
Hibble came across really quite superior in their post and I was addressing that. No one person is key, the job is, that isn't wrong. Even boris Johnson isn't key, the job he does is, and if he left/died/disappeared tomorrow someone else would do it....

😂😂😂
Someone needs to scold you, your tantrum & whining is being read by multiple people.

Just to confirm, you mean Hibble the doctor who said she's working on the wards.? ... Yup she's definitely "coming across as superior" 🧐 by mentioning that she works long hours on the wards. (How very dare she? Said in my best Catherine Tate voice) 😂😅 No, seriously stop..:
Please don't tag me in your posts, you'll notice I just bold your name. But thank-you for the laugh....

Kazzyhoward · 19/06/2020 17:05

A friend who works in IT has been flat out working the whole time, not a key worker.

He probably IS a key worker as per gov.uk guidelines - it's not just "front line" staff, it's all support staff too.

confusedbymyheritage · 19/06/2020 17:13

This reply has been deleted

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kenandbarbie · 19/06/2020 17:19

It's always been used though. It just came into its own because of the situation.

HeIenaDove · 19/06/2020 17:21

@itsgettingweird Flowers

I suspect some were perfectly happy with the status quo before and want to go back to the default setting of key workers being of low status.

maddiemookins16mum · 19/06/2020 17:22

It’s ridiculous. Then there’s the posts on local FB pages...’I’m a keyworker and my bike chain has broken, can anyone help’..cue offers of free bikes for Richard who lives 20 mins Walk away from the small local Coop he works in 3 days a week.
I think Lockdown is now overused too, surely that ended when Primark opened.

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