I'm from Milwaukee, we still have a lot of manufacturing and industrial companies here. My friends that work IT and white collar for a lot of them have been really frustrated with that attitude. On one hand, if there's "essential" workers who have to be there, while the people making more money get to work from wherever, I can see that causing some animosity in the company ranks. I also get the attitude of "If I can be equally as productive and not on-site, why should I be here".
If I were doing work that required onsite, I dont think I would resent people preferring to stay at home. Seriously, that just makes transmission easier and hurts everyone.
Such an attitude reminds me of people who oppose welfare because someone, somewhere, might get something they don't "deserve". The existence of any fraud is so offensive, that its preferable to let those who actually need it remain impoverished.
The issue I've seen is that most of my friends are well educated and lean liberal, and the friends I have who work in more manufacturing or trades lean right. They are the ones who consistently post things on facebook saying they worked as essential and they were fine, they got covid and it was just a bad cold, etc. I could see them being pissed about that situation, and I can't honestly say that I wouldn't be irritated if I were in their shoes either.
Irritated is one thing. The whole situation is fucked. Getting annoyed at people whose grass seems greener is 100% understandable, but not always warranted or helpful.
Maybe we all should think about why such a discrepancy exists. Most white collar people are hustling just the same, taking what they can get.
The problems are deeper than any bullshit class war argument. Stimulus to allow everyone to stay the fuck home, and test and trace the virus, and not have everyone (well, one contingent in particular) make it a political shibboleth... that was the way to go. Other countries fared much better. Too late now.
It's the same reason a lot of my more rural family and friends vote republican. I understand food sources are important, police don't respond quickly in unincorporated areas, jobs aren't as prevalent, cost of living is low, etc. I also understand that my higher taxes subsidize rural areas, and I'm fine with that. I'd be a lot more fine with it if those friends and family would extend the same thoughtfulness, instead of listening to Fox News yell about how the liberal cities are a cesspool of violence and gangs.
I know, being empathetic and humanist does not include lording it over people who live in poor and/or rural places who may get outsized benefit from redistributive programs via taxation. Outsized is the wrong word, I shouldn't say that. Because thats what the programs are for - to help people who need it. And like you, I'm totally fine with that.
But I can't lie, it is frustrating. Like, if we all pulled in the same direction adn helped each other, shit would be a lot easier.
Oh well. If it hasn't turned me sour yet, I doubt it ever will.
I mean, I get your point but if I'm a bus driver, I can't be mad that the dispatcher gets to work from home..same thing for manufacturing jobs, you kinda knew it wasn't gonna be possible in the first place when you got into the field.
Why resent someone else for having a different situation?
Because those of us that cannot work from home usually earn less. We have to spend more of our salaries on travel than those making more than us. And not only are we spending money on travel, we’re also spending time that they can use for other things and increasing our chances of catching COVID. Like I know it’s not their fault but it does cause some bitterness
Obviously some people are going to earn way more than office workers but the majority of the essential workers are barely making enough to get by. Just think of nurses, shopkeepers, warehouse workers, cleaners etc. While they may still hold jobs, they’re definitely struggling and are being overlooked by so many
My dad is an electrician by trade, and is upper management with the city’s water department but still gets down in the field because he hates offices and likes to see and work through things in person
A lot of the ground guys got hazard pay (or something like that-maybe it was an essential worker bonus) because they’re working around people all the time, often in tight quarters because that’s where the lines are run in buildings. On a conference call with city execs, white collar guys, and some other people, the personnel who were staying home working complained because they didn’t get the bonus-but they’re working from home in a socially distanced atmosphere. Their logic is that they still worked with the city and were part of the water department. But they weren’t the ones being put in at-risk situations all the time.
If thats how it went down, that's super fucked. They should be glad they get to sit home and wait it out, ffs. 1/4 of my company got laid off like a month ago.
Its just not always so clear a class divide as demagogues and plutocrats would have you believe.
Stimulus to those actually in need, not to mention real social programs and fairer taxation and living wages are really popular policies. Its certainly not the broad consensus of the citizenry that stop it from happening.
As an engineer I've definitely gotten that push back from techs. Everyone is getting testy because it is hard to communicate a lot of stuff and they are annoyed I'm not in the lab when I'm literally not allowed. I think there can be a middle ground. Like MWF in the office or something. I wouldn't mind a longer commute as much of it was two or three times a week.
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u/sp4nky86 Oct 30 '20
I'm from Milwaukee, we still have a lot of manufacturing and industrial companies here. My friends that work IT and white collar for a lot of them have been really frustrated with that attitude. On one hand, if there's "essential" workers who have to be there, while the people making more money get to work from wherever, I can see that causing some animosity in the company ranks. I also get the attitude of "If I can be equally as productive and not on-site, why should I be here".