EDITORIAL: Acknowledge all essential workers
IF 2020 has shown us anything it has highlighted which workers truly are “essential” to a society.
Traditionally, labour-intensive jobs and vocations in service industries were not seen as desirable since they often required more physical effort for less pay, when compared to other high-profile executive jobs in the knowledge-intensive economy. To put it simply, most people would opt to get paid big bucks as a top executive than to work long hours for the equivalent money as a teacher, for instance. However, after the weeks of lockdown earlier in the year and the challenges which became apparent as we sought to achieve the bare minimum of providing for ourselves and our families – food, clothing, shelter and educating our children – we can now clearly see that many workers in these positions are truly unappreciated. The facade of an upstanding, law-abiding and respectable society starts to show its cracks when there are no vendors to sell fresh produce; not enough supermarket workers to prevent hour-long lines and facilitate easy access to foods; no teachers to take on the burden of instilling discipline and routine in our children’s lives while imparting new information; no mechanics available to fix vehicles; and more noticeably, no sanitation workers to keep our immediate surroundings clean, helping to rid our neighbourhoods of vectors and keep people from descending into a “mental muddle” of sorts.
Unfortunately, many individuals in these roles are frequently undervalued and underpaid and even now, at Christmas time, many are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Granted, they are in a better position than some who do not even have jobs and are faced with being unemployed at Christmas time, but nonetheless, they are still experiencing financial difficulty.
In light of this, it is commendable to see Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley seek to give some acknowledgement in a monetary sense to these workers in the near future. On the one hand, she has addressed the issue of a national minimum wage, stating clear her intention to stick with a promise made by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) on the campaign trail in 2018, to raise the minimum wage to $8 an hour, and extend it to all categories of workers. Though this move has elicited some debate about the feasibility of doing so at this time when the economy and businesses are under pressure, it is good to see that the issue has been placed firmly in the spotlight.
Additionally, a further monetary contribution was also suggested – a one-off payment for those who worked on the frontline during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the PM, this proposal is already being discussed with trade unions.
Both of these steps would help relieve some of the financial pressure essential workers are facing, and would indeed be welcome.
One hopes however that, if approved, care is given not to forget workers from the varying services, since the category of “Essential Worker” is quite varied. For instance, based on one graphic issued by the Barbados Government Information Service early in the year during the start of the shutdown, essential workers included those providing security services; the Royal Barbados Police Force; the Fire Service; the Barbados Prison Service; Immigration; Customs Officers; the medical and paramedical professions; caregivers; hospital providers; utility companies; telecommunications, media and broadcasting services; the provision of essential transport; the collection, storage, purification and distribution of water; the collection, storage, treatment and disposal of sewage and garbage; and the removal of persons who have passed away.
It is hoped therefore, that there will be transparency and communication as these proposals move to realisation.