To not understand the animosity towards key workers

[IsItMeOrThemBeingKnobs]

Just seen a newspaper post a story about Asda giving an extra discount to Blue Light Card holders and there are 1000s of comments on it just full of hatred towards key worker discounts and so much “what about me”

I’ve noticed this more and more recently. There was another company advertising a discount to all key workers (so not just blue light card but school staff, anyone that holds a key working role etc) and the comments on that were the same.

This is definitely a new thing since Covid has eased and it makes me feel quite uncomfortable that we begrudge others a job that entitles them to a discount card. I’m pretty sure there are similar employee perks in other organisations, and I know times are really tough for all, but the division it’s causing is quite extreme.

YANBU - it’s bloody weird, you’re right
YABU - screw key workers, what about me

If you want the perks of working for a large organisation, find one that is recruiting.

If you don't want to because your current job suits you - flexible hours, short commute or whatever - then you've chosen those perks over a Blue Light Card.

Blue light card intent just for nhs workers

"100% this. Im a key worker but well aware my pay, working conditions and job security are far far better than a lot of peoples."

It's not a keyworker discount. I'm a teacher and am not eligible.

With the government refusing to increase mileage for key workers and Pay rises for NHS not even in line with inflation why shouldn’t they have so rude on a shop or chain that can obviously afford it

More than half of the working population had to go in to work throughout the pandemic. They couldn’t work from home and weren’t furloughed. Lots of people lost their jobs and businesses and wished they could go to work. I’m a key worker and I totally understand why people dislike key worker discounts.

This thread is harsh. I worked in icu all throughout the pandemic. I got moved from children's icu to adult icu. I worked 4-5 long days a week so 7.30 (on the unit) til 9pm or 9pm til 8:30am I didnt have chance to go food shopping on my days I was in work. The shops were shut.

So yes I went on my days off and once or twice I asked if I could go in and do my shopping without queuing up but that was only on the way home
From a night shift.

On the flip side. Did anyone else have to suffer this attitude from shops?

If nhs workers touched anything in Iceland they had to buy it Because we were dirty

This basically.

One of my parents is quite high ranking police and earns very well. They freely admit it makes no sense for them to get discounts whilst others on much much lower wages do not. They rarely use theirs and continued to pay for things they didn't need to through Covid to help keep businesses afloat i.e. paying gym membership even though it was closed etc.. as their wage hadn't been affected at all.

.

@FLOWER1982 THIS!! It’s the “I’m an nhs hero” that gets my back up. It’s ridiculous, they aren’t heroes they’re human like the rest of us who did a job they chose to do. It’s given some of them a real god complex.

You know we have to pay for the blue light card and it's being going for years pre pandemic?

To me, the Uk changed this year.
Pre 2020, it was "normal". Then covid happened and there was a sense for a short amount of time of the country working together. Well until politicians showed that up for what it was.

But at the beginning of this year, inflation took hold.
Now people are feeling the pinch and worse. 2020 is not 2022. People are needing to look after and toward themselves and their own families.

I think there is resentment from people too, about Iceland and FarmFoods doing 10% discounts on tuesdays for those over aged 60.

If nhs workers touched anything in Iceland they had to buy it Because we were dirty

I thought this was a common thing in the shops - only touch, if you were going to buy? I remember telling DD in a bookshop not to pick anything up, unless she was sure, she wanted to buy it!

@TheSummerPalace but books you don't need to know if you're allergic to ingredients.. so if I went to Iceland during this policy and I wasn't sure if it had nuts or dairy in it, and I picked up a product to look at the back
Even if I was allergic to that product and after looking at the ingredients I'd have to buy it

Was this because of people with anxiety about NHS going in first and 'spreading covid'? If an NHS worker went in any other time no one would know they were NHS so no additional rules.

I really dislike the 'why should they have something and I can't' attitude.
The cost of living crisis is due to low wages, inadequate benefits and high costs.
Lots of large companies/organisations offers discounts and perks to staff.
Don't get angry at the people, get angry at this incompetent government.

@Svara it was during the nhs hours and you needs to show proof of your job so they knew who was nhs and basically refused to let you see if you were allergic to the product.

I've been asked once or twice at work if we do discounts for NHS workers. I work in a charity shop, we are literally raising money for disadvantaged kids. FFS.

I think they should absolutely be entitled to extra benefits, but so should all key workers. It became very clear who the key workers were during the pandemic, and it wasn't just emergency services & hospital staff. I think that's where it stems from.

When we ran an independent garage we used to get people (services NHS, Police, Firefighters etc) asking for a discount and if we were part of the scheme.

It used to really get my goat because whilst yes they do a fab job, we were a very small independent. We were not a huge chain like Asda, with tens of millions of pounds profit each year. Plus the area we live in is not famed for its high wages. Lots of people are working hard, in vital roles, on minimum wage, but also with a shit pension and no additional benefits. Carers in particular spring to mind.

The response was always the same - we look after all our customers, and keep prices cheap for everyone!

Those that asked and then shopped around would still come back as we were still cheaper than those in the scheme!
(Its mainly national companies in the scheme, and they charge more to start with, so can afford to 'discount'.)

Well you know the answer everyone. The NHS and private health care are desperate for staff. Come and join us and you too can get a blue light card discount.

Also as an aside if you are annoyed that teachers get so many holidays go work in a school.

Surely as an NHS worker in the pandemic you knew it was common sense not to touch what you wouldn't buy since there was a highly contagious 😷 going around?.... that was just common sense to me.

That's what I meant, restrictions for that hour only. It was before the normal hours wasn't it? I assume the restrictions were to reassure the elderly and those with severe anxiety around covid who might want to get to the shops early before everyone else. Not that I think it's very logical myself, but any other time an NHS worker would be under the same rules as everyone else.

Why is everyone banging on about this being an NHS discount?
it's not!!!!
Blue light card covers millions of workers from all emergency services, carers, armed forces & civil servants.

But hey, let's not let an NHS bashing opportunity pass us by.

Loving how everyone knows an NHS worker on 100k who worked from home, and not nurses & porters earning fuck all.

@ProclivityForPyrotechnics

No, it wasn’t because of allergies, but the fear then of Covid being passed on by surface transmission, when not as much was known about how it was transmitted in the first lockdown! Iirc I saw notices about it in a large chain of bookshops, and some independent shops?

I can sort of see the point. DNiece said she qualified for these because she has a card showing she is an NHS worker, but she works in a hospital admin role. She also said that during lockdown people were begging her to take some of the pizzas etc that were getting delivered to the hospital because they had too much.