Dear Warehouse workers

A forgotten, overlooked job - even without a pandemic. Your job may not be praised as much as the other key workers, nor are you paid similarly. That doesn't make you any less valuable.

Warehouse workers are always a necessary job. Whether you're packaging up medicine, clothes, or electronic goods. Your job makes the world go round, and hopefully, you'll be treated as such.

During a pandemic, the world resorted to online shopping. Nobody could leave their homes and groves of clothes, skincare, accessories, and anything else you could think of was getting delivered to houses.

At the root of this - big companies. Businesses who have capitalised from a pandemic. At the face of this - the brave delivery drivers, who have risked a lot, so that we can all get our much-awaited packages.

But what about the invisible jobs? The warehouse workers, spending days the warehouse, with very little choice to be "safe" or "alert".

I know a warehouse worker; their job revolves around packaging medicines - some of which are saving lives. She is considered a key worker, but without the same recognition as the vast majority of other key workers.

Their workers were practically unable to practice social distancing and were given no PPE. After weeks of complaints from the workers, they were given high vis jackets which simply said "social distancing" on them. It's a performative measure, that nobody was happy about.

Obviously, seeing how badly warehouse workers were treated, without even really being noticed by the nation (not even on the key worker clap), I decided to dig into a little research. Turns out, this warehouse, unfortunately, wasn't a singular case. Warehouse workers across the country have been ignored during this global pandemic.

The Business Human Rights Resource Centre has a whole collection of stories regarding warehouse workers, who have expressed their concerns about their work during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Here's a tiny summary.

JD Sports warehouse workers have expressed their concern over COVID-19 infection risks. A worker who is registered blind and suffers from asthma was refused furlough pay from the company.

BooHoo and Pretty Little Thing workers have said that it is impossible to social distance and continue to meet hourly targets, especially when there's been an increase in orders.

500 ASOS workers have walked out, as their fears of lack of social distancing mounted.

Next actually listened to their workers, and closed online operation in response to fears. However, this did take a lot of pressure from workers and wasn't an immediate acknowledgement.

The truth is, warehouse workers are minimum wage workers. They don't make enough to live on, despite the misleading "living wage" title. As most are key workers, they are also not entitled to furlough pay - and the ones that are given this "luxury" are finding it hard to live off 80% of their minimum wage.

Warehouses are not equipped or prepared for this kind of situation. Obviously, no workplace is - but it's much easier to social distance in an office, that a manual labour job in a warehouse.

Warehouses are usually crammed, people will bump into each other, touch the same items, and just not be 6 feet apart. That's the reality.

Social distancing rules only make the warehouse worker's jobs harder, with no real incentive.

My friend will be getting paid a tiny bit more during a pandemic. But that begs the question; if they can do it now, they can do it all the time. Big companies, like this, keep wages low to higher their profit margin. This is unjustifiable.

So, though I know it doesn't do much, I want to say this.

To the warehouse workers, thank you. Thank you for going into work every day, and putting even more effort and time into making sure we get our online goods.

It isn't a rewarded job. God, sometimes it doesn't even feel necessary. You risking your life so that people can receive a new pair of sunglasses? Late Stage Capitalism has truly peaked.

I hope you get the justice you deserve. I hope the world recognises your value. I hope your employees permanently acknowledge the work you do for them and pay you accordingly.

I hope you find some kind of relief, especially if you're worried about your health.

To all the warehouse workers...thank you.