Analysis
By s1jobs
The fact that frontline workers and community champions dominated the Queen’s Birthday Honours List released earlier this month was no great surprise. After all, the honours are normally unveiled in June, but were delayed this year to consider nominations for those playing a crucial role in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Covid-19 has changed the way we work and live, and has forced us to re-assess who and what we value. As it turns out, many of those we now deem “most necessary” are in jobs that have traditionally been among the worst-paid and least secure.
Back in April, at the height of the first wave of infections and amid the strictest UK lockdown restrictions so far, the Resolution Foundation conducted an investigation which found that roughly half of frontline care workers were paid less than the living wage of £9.30 per hour. Set by the Living Wage Foundation, the figure is based on everyday living expenses and is deemed to be the minimum amount necessary for people to pay their bills and other costs comfortably.
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Care work has long had the reputation of being under-appreciated, and during the pandemic – when many of us can work from home – these people must carry on with often long hours in situations that put them at a higher risk of exposure. They do this to look after our loved ones when we are unable to.
And they are not the only ones who have continued to toil on the front lines. The list also includes those employed in food production, warehouses, supermarkets and as delivery drivers – all of which are typically among those jobs with the least amount of security and remuneration.
Many of these roles only come with statutory sick pay, which at £95.85 per week can be a big loss in earnings for people already on a tight budget. It seems paltry compensation for working with some of the most vulnerable people who are at greatest risk.
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Isn’t it time to change the pay and contracts of key workers to accurately reflect the mentally and physically demanding work that they do?
This, of course, would not be without costs that would have to be passed on in some form. For that reason, it may have to wait until the economy is on a surer footing.
In the meantime, getting rid of zero hours contracts and providing adequate sick pay would be a good place to start. It’s time to re-evaluate the worth of those workers that we can’t get by without.
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