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Original poster

To be fed up of the "I'm a key worker" line now

405 replies

Chishelled · 28/09/2021 08:13

Fair play, I do understand that not every key worker is pulling this out at opportunity and that not all key workers are acting like entitled selfish twits, plus the fact DP and I (although only on day two) are both NHS - him as a doctor and me within mental health.

Our entire local facebook page is full of "I am a key worker, I need to get petrol, people are being so selfish" BUT why do key workers expect to be prioritised for petrol now, particularly when many of the ones posting work in our local hospital which is a 20 minute walk away??

It's just all adding to the scare mongering and hype by trotting out the "I'm a key worker, I need petrol priority...[it's going to run out again], plus plenty of people are having to commute back to work due to the end of furlough and the fact that offices are well and truly reopen - are their jobs seen as lesser?

I propose on the spot fines for anyone who uses the phrase "I am a key worker" to get preferential treatment from this point forwards [unless of course we go back into Lockdown again]

OP posts:
Offmyfence · 29/09/2021 20:10

@Hawkins001

With all due respect to all, I'm not sure what the legal limit is for fuel in Jerry cans, but why have people not considered having an emergency reserves for preparation for this type of situations ?
Because it's highly dangerous to store petrol?
Dontgetyerknicksinatwist · 29/09/2021 20:25

The clue is in the description “key worker”. I know it’s it’s hard when it’s so difficult to get fuel at the moment. It causes us all a lot of stress and anxiety. But surely we should be venting our frustration and anger at the greedy panic buyers and our useless ineffectual joke of a government instead?

Serrina · 29/09/2021 20:34

I hope hospital cleaners are classed as keyworkers. I mean it's a pretty vital job and someone has to do it

Againstmachine · 29/09/2021 20:37

I hope hospital cleaners are classed as keyworkers. I mean it's a pretty vital job and someone has to do it

Absolutely, the low paid of the NHS are also a backbone, whilst the others at the other end, well sell their NHS time to private industry.

Mantlemoose · 29/09/2021 20:51

I heard on the radio today saying people don't trust the government when being told not to panic buy and suggesting key workers such as GP's send these messages. I've been lucky and been able to see GP and had two operations during covid but I think I'm in the minority with that!

ChristinaXYZ · 29/09/2021 20:53

@FrogsAreMean

I do not agree with one word you have said. What about ‘key workers’ who visit patient’s at home, sometimes more than once a day and who have several house calls to make every day and night.
What about cancer patients trying to get to hospital, mothers in labour, people trying to pick their children up from school (or anywhere), people who care for their elderly parents, people who care for elderly friends or neighbours, people in rural or semi-rural areas with poor public transport, people who live alone, people who are self-employed who don't get paid if the don't work, people trying to keep already lockdown-damaged businesses afloat, people whose bosses will dock their pay if they are late or cannot get there, people going to see dying friends and relatives, people going to funerals, etc, etc.

We have a key worker in this house but we're more worried about getting to elderly parents stuck out in hard to get to villages than getting to work. I do feel sorry for care workers who go to elderly people at home as that job cannot be done otherwise and they are already low paid without getting public transport. Also ambulances obviously need priority but otherwise we should all be in this together.

XenoBitch · 29/09/2021 20:56

@Serrina

I hope hospital cleaners are classed as keyworkers. I mean it's a pretty vital job and someone has to do it
I used to be a hospital cleaner. One time, I was cleaning around the bed space of an ITU patient, and the consultant that was caring for them at the time moved away to give me room. I said to him I can wait until he was done, and he said "your job is just as important as mine". Has always stuck with me.
JinglingHellsBells · 29/09/2021 20:56

@Hawkins001

With all due respect to all, I'm not sure what the legal limit is for fuel in Jerry cans, but why have people not considered having an emergency reserves for preparation for this type of situations ?
The DH of a friend of mine almost died carrying petrol in his car. He had a prang and the car burst into flames. He spent months in a burns unit.
CurlsandCurves · 29/09/2021 20:57

@Againstmachine

You really wouldn’t think this if you were calling an ambulance for your family and there wasn’t one or attended A&E in an emergency

You wouldn't think that if power went off and NHS couldn't do Their job or food workers couldnt get there and the shelf in supermarket were bare so you couldn't eat.

And this is exactly the point.

When it comes down to it, every profession is essential, if you take it to the nth degreee. My job is classed as non essential but there are aspects of it that I’d say absolutely are. By contrast my husband has been classed as a keyworker but some of the jobs he goes to are (in my opinion) not at all essential.

We can argue this forever....

flipertyflop · 29/09/2021 20:57

Can we also do away with the cringey "I'm a key worker" bumper stickers now too? No one actually cares anymore. I work in social care and it makes me wince when I see them!

SeenYourArse · 29/09/2021 21:00

Abso frigging lutely I agree OP! Lockdown is over it’s done and finished no such thing as a key worker anymore ALL jobs are key to the employee! It was a phrase for people who were needed to continue to work during lockdown, which isn’t on anymore now they are once again workers.

Offmyfence · 29/09/2021 21:01

@flipertyflop

Can we also do away with the cringey "I'm a key worker" bumper stickers now too? No one actually cares anymore. I work in social care and it makes me wince when I see them!
OMG! I have not actually seen one of those, thank fuck!
superblondie28 · 29/09/2021 21:01

I admit I got sick of the whole keyworker thing last year... 🙈🙉🙊 Yes, the NHS staff were amazing and still are, but the whole clap for the NHS, I didn't do it. The shop workers were amazing too!! Public transport!! I don't work in any of these sectors but I worked through the pandemic doing a life saving job and got no praise, except from our boss 🙌 There are other ways to get to work beside the car and everyone sees their job as a necessity to keep the country going and bring in the pennies. Our local hospital has excellent bus routes for example.

XenoBitch · 29/09/2021 21:03

@flipertyflop

Can we also do away with the cringey "I'm a key worker" bumper stickers now too? No one actually cares anymore. I work in social care and it makes me wince when I see them!
Or this one Grin
To be fed up of the "I'm a key worker" line now
SirChenjins · 29/09/2021 21:05

And the staff - like my daughter who’s a nurse on a paediatric ward for children with very complex needs - who don’t live on the bus routes - what exactly do they do?

Perhaps the Govt should reintroduce working from home for those who can - and then people can moan about that.

superblondie28 · 29/09/2021 21:06

PS... Care workers are Amazing too 👏

Vivana · 29/09/2021 21:06

I cannot stand the phrase key worker. I am a carer and had to care for residents who had covid and be there support for them working 12 hour shifts in full ppe and seeing many pass away with covid. I don't want special treatment but I would like to of had a caring employer back then give me support as I was new to the role and then thrust into being a care assistant I now suffer quite badly with my mental health now and have ptsd. Keyworker phrase should be banned now

Pheasantlysurprised · 29/09/2021 21:13

quit Facebook.
problem solved Grin

XenoBitch · 29/09/2021 21:16

@SirChenjins

And the staff - like my daughter who’s a nurse on a paediatric ward for children with very complex needs - who don’t live on the bus routes - what exactly do they do?

Perhaps the Govt should reintroduce working from home for those who can - and then people can moan about that.

How does your DD cope if her car breaks down?
Darkchocolateandcoffee · 29/09/2021 21:19

Agree OP

Explosivefarts · 29/09/2021 21:21

@SirChenjins

And the staff - like my daughter who’s a nurse on a paediatric ward for children with very complex needs - who don’t live on the bus routes - what exactly do they do?

Perhaps the Govt should reintroduce working from home for those who can - and then people can moan about that.

Queue up like the rest of us. I’m a unpaid carer for someone also not on a bus route. If I don’t turn up to help them they will be lying in their own soil all day unfed and no medication. I’m a one man band . If I don’t turn up no one will. So no her needs don’t trump others right for petrol.
SirChenjins · 29/09/2021 21:24

@XenoBitch - it hasn’t but if it did she’d borrow one of ours.

@Explosivefarts - if you read my post really carefully you’ll notice that I didn’t say her right trumps anyone else’s (and she did queue like everyone else) just that ridiculous comments about key workers taking buses instead of driving isn’t an option for many.

Offmyfence · 29/09/2021 21:28

[quote SirChenjins]@XenoBitch - it hasn’t but if it did she’d borrow one of ours.

@Explosivefarts - if you read my post really carefully you’ll notice that I didn’t say her right trumps anyone else’s (and she did queue like everyone else) just that ridiculous comments about key workers taking buses instead of driving isn’t an option for many.[/quote]
Well if she can borrow one of yours, she has three options, lucky her!!

I can't take a bus to work and I am not a key worker, so she is in the same position as me!

Or she can change career

All her choice obviously!!

seven201 · 29/09/2021 21:28

The roads round me are quite mad due to petrol queues. The local Facebook page is full of updates on where has petrol and diesel. But... there has been zero key worker one-upmanship. There's just been one carer asking for where has petrol as she needs to get around all her clients and then a very kind lady saying if she can't find any she'll drive her around for the day. It's actually really warned my key worker heart.

Againstmachine · 29/09/2021 21:31

@Explosivefarts - if you read my post really carefully you’ll notice that I didn’t say her right trumps anyone else’s (and she did queue like everyone else) just that ridiculous comments about key workers taking buses instead of driving isn’t an option for many.

So she hadn't a problem, point of post is.