When you've grabbed that emergency box of Quality Streets for the neighbours on Christmas Eve and the shops close, for many of us there is a sense of 'job done' – time to crack on with the festivities.
But for around a million people in the UK, Christmas is just another working day. All over the country there are people eating Christmas dinner in the work canteen, families who wait to have their meal late to accommodate Dad’s shift, children who open presents with grandparents because Mum has to work.
I know myself how it can feel to miss out on celebrations because you need to do your job during the Christmas period. So many people will be working hard to deliver the services we take for granted. As a care worker I tried my best to make Christmas as special as possible for those who needed it; cooking their Christmas dinner, helping put up the tree, and making sure they had some company at what can be an especially lonely time of the year.
As a proud union rep I supported my colleagues who worked over the Christmas period, some because they had to, some because they needed the money during an expensive time of year.
One thing this terrible pandemic has taught us is the true value of the work done by millions across the country who don’t always get the pay they deserve for difficult and demanding jobs. We clapped for carers and we celebrated our key workers but we know how many are struggling with low pay and do not have the rights they deserve.
Research published by the TUC last week found that 647,000 workers in hospitality, retail, and arts and entertainment – key sectors for Christmas festivity – do not qualify for statutory sick pay. As the rates of the Omicron variant rise, it seems unbelievable that two years into the pandemic we are still forcing people to make a choice between earning a living or protecting their health and their community.
It's not just the fear of getting ill and the devastating consequences for families if people do fall sick, but this is an anxious time more generally as food bills are soaring and the cost of household bills is also on the rise. We know what people need is more than just warm words, they need a minimum wage of at least £10 an hour as a first step to tackle a system where too many are underpaid and forced to work multiple jobs.
There will be some difficult choices for families this year because the government has failed to get a grip, leaving working people to shoulder the burden of their failure. Boris Johnson makes political choices to fill his time with parties and wallpaper shopping rather than making lives better.
After the lonely Christmas of last year, so many of us are really looking forward to precious time with loved ones this year. For those who will be out working or coming home from a night shift or preparing to work during the sales, I wish you a Merry Christmas – whenever you finally get that well-deserved break.
My New Year’s resolution is the same as every year - to keep fighting for a better deal for working people.
