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Some thoughts for workers during the Covid -19 pandemic.
I have had trouble grappling with the word “essential workers.” I sort of know what it means, but I worry about what the employers think it means. For medical workers, I believe it is universally understood, we need them! But I worry that for many other workers, “essential’ is a euphemism for ‘disposable.’ Sort of like saying, ”yeah you may get sick and die, but that is sort of your role in our society — sorry to say it.” And thus, these workers soon hear, “we need you to come in.”
But it recently dawned on me that to call workers “essential” is to selfishly emphasize what they mean to you, the consumer. That is, the role those working now play in services or goods to consumers. It would be more accurate to refer to these workers as valuable. Hopefully, referring to those working during the COVID-19 crisis as valuable would lead to the most important question today for working people, how valuable?
Recently Amazon and other corporations have offered modest hazard pay increases and bonuses. The range of increases is about $2 per hour or, and in some cases both, bonuses ranging from $500 to $1,500. But is it really worth $320 more a month to put your life at risk? For those with children or older relatives at home, is that worth putting them at risk? NO. Your health and safety, and that of your family is worth a lot more…
