A thread to show some love for the less-recognised key workers

[Dyrne]

Don’t get me wrong, I think all the recognition and praise for the NHS, Teachers, Delivery drivers and shop workers are bloody well deserved; and it’s right that they should be thanked for keeping going right now.

It’s just sometimes I get a little sad for my colleagues who do an ‘invisible’ job people don’t even really think about, but is critical to keep the country functioning.

So can we have a little love here as well to show some appreciation for:

Utility Workers (Gas, Electric, Water, Broadband)
Bin men
Those who volunteer with the vulnerable (food banks, befriending, citizens advice)
Postmen
Plumbers, electricians etc
Vets
Mechanics, roadside assistance
Police, Fire, Coastguard, Lifeboat
Early Years workers (nurseries, childminders, nannies)

Has anyone got any others to add?

Road liners.

Seemed weird to me that they are key workers (my partner is one) but I guess if we don't have lines or cats eyes on motorways we're all screwed!

GP receptionists!

My eldest DD. This month she has been working longer hours on the phone reassuring and advising constant calls and face to face with a steady stream of worried public filling into the surgery.

Gas engineers (my boiler broke down this week, the lovely engineer fixed it and I was aware he's in and out of peoples houses all day with no way of knowing if he's going to catch it).

All those who work in mental health hospitals - their patients can't go anywhere and still need to be looked after, my sister works in one with very little PPE.

Marine engineers! Mine still going in every day to repair ships. Hate it. They don't work apart. They can't really

All the animal carers - though for some it does look like fun...

www.wsbtv.com/news/watch-atlanta-humane-society-puppies-explore-georgia-aquarium/VUEXFSULIRD53MQ4M7M3E3QY7Q/

High street bank staff who are dealing with the mortgage holiday requests.

Army personnel
Security guards in shops
People delivering post
People looking after animals
People maintaining roads
People working in train stations and airports
Train drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, tram drivers

Not just NHS, those in the third sector and in private practice many of whom have seen their income slashed and are now offering free support to colleagues in the NHS and other direct services.

Yes good point, those too. At least in the NHS you’re guaranteed your salary. Must be very ropey in private practice currently.

And 100% YES to prison staff, all of them. They will be dealing with so much unrest in an environment where if the virus takes hold they’ll all be fucked. Staff restraining frustrated angry offenders can’t maintain distance and I bet they’re the last in line for PPE. They’re paid a pittance for a high risk difficult draining highly skilled job.

People working in takeaways
People working in labs testing samples
People working on getting new policies into law
Mechanics keeping vehicles safe
People in warehouses (online and actual shops)

Anyone involved in education, not just the teachers but the cleaners, those contacting student ms to monitor wellbeing, kitchen staff still providing meals for the vulnerable/children of key workers and especially the IT technicians who are keeping thousands of children able to access their education even though they had very little time to get education move online & remote access set up for staff

People who work at Amazon & other online retailers - when we place online orders somebody needs to physically pack/pack/ship that before passing it to the delivery people ...

Local radio presenters/producers - keeping us up to date locally with what’s going on, as well as providing entertainment on diversion.
TV Editors/news presenters/ producers/ technicians- so many people stuck at home are watching more tv than ever & relying on it for news as well as entertainment.
In the same vein Newspaper editors/printers - Younger people may think that newspapers are not essential, or frivolous items, but for many older people they are an absolute lifeline – this is the way they get their news, they don’t logon to Facebook or mumsnet 10 times a day!

People running payroll for all these people. My OH is a building manager, he's still in keeping the facilities going for one officer in a 14 storey building as they payroll NHS bank staff.
He's letting delivery drivers use the toilets as their normal places are closed, then cleaning and disinfecting

Office not officer!

Civil servants many of whom can't work from home, keeping the country running.

Yep - I work in universal credit we are absolutely swamped with overtime now on offer

Prison officers are heroes, one and all. I used to do that job, and I heartily feel for them right now, it must be a tinder box ready to go up

Please remember the security staff in your thoughts for key workers. We are working day and night keeping things safe while people are working from home etc, it's a tough time for us too.

Back office bank and finance staff still working, including some working preposterously long hours, to keep money flowing and key reporting done. These aren't big money bankers. Many are not paid very well.

Definitely community pharmacists. My DB is a pharmacist and it has been mad - working on his days off, working longer days and dealing with people stockpiling medicine and generally being stressed.

I'm actually also going to give a shout out to all staff in Westminster, including politicians. Covid is right through Westminster and these people are effectively canon fodder at this point.

Train signallers snd control room staff keeping the trains going.
Trainline staff issuing thousands of refunds
Postmen and women!

Lorry Drivers. DH is driving and it's harder with roads lined with parked cars now in towns. Taking him longer.

Retail staff. They need thanks! They are as important and usually not treated that well by employers either.
They must be fearful too.
Lorry drivers are also vital.
Too many to mention really.

Yy to the retail staff.

Some are visibly terrified, but still show up each day, all day and keep us fed and moving.

They will be getting huge exposure.

Only one person has mentioned it, but:

Security Personnel.

Officially classed as keyworkers but no-one's mentioning them.

No-one thinks about it, but you can't check food delivery loads haven't been tampered with, secure premises and building sites, repair and respond to alarms, including fire alarm systems, fix broken doors and gates and barriers etc etc from home, so they have no choice but to come in. (And, by extension, neither have I - but I work in my own office, alone, so its hardly the same thing.)

And - and I don't know if this is true about every company but it is of the one I work at - not one has complained, refused to work, not showed up, nothing. They've been completely professional. Another example of an overlooked, low-paid 'unskilled' industry.

The print industry. All the leaflets, noticed, public info etc. My friend who works for a printer is on of those working harder than ever.

We are all key workers in our house
I work in a nursery
Dh works in defence
Dd works in a school kitchen
Ds works in a warehouse packing orders for amazon

It’s surprising how broad the list of key workers actually is

Prison and probation staff