I have multiple chronic illnesses that render me very literally physically incapable of working anywhere but at home. To this end, I have a WFH consultancy position: I work 30 hours p.w., £43k p.a. (for context, this is a good salary for a single person household in Scotland), 6 weeks annual leave + public holidays. I have no dependants and a small property I just bought myself after comfortably renting through my twenties (personal circumstances kept me from committing to a place before that), which is all I need and suits me perfectly. I employ a home cleaning service at a well-above-standard rate, because I depend on them and that's what they're worth and I'm privileged enough to be able to afford it. All around, life on easy mode in comparison to a lot of situations here, right?
It could so easily be this way for everyone. That's the thing that fucking gets me. It's not like I'm living this astounding, brag-worthy life. It is well within the means of most employers to have these conditions across the board (barring paramedics, tree surgeons, you know what I mean, obviously this won't apply to every single situation and I'm not talking about a mom-and-pop shop), like it isn't THAT much to ask, that we live comfortably and have enough time to do things and keep our mental health in check after the work day is done. I still do a phenomenal job – company-wide record performance this year despite a global pandemic and now a fucking war, work output does the exact opposite of suffer when you're actually valued and acknowledged as something other than a wage-earner! It isn't a big ask. That everyone get paid an above-liveable salary and their employment situation tailored so their health doesn't suffer. Enough hours outside of work to actually live.
And the funny thing is, I still get tired. Even with every consideration, every acknowledgement that I am a human being who does not live to work, I have been off sick this year. I've needed understanding and compassion and lenience. And if this is so necessary for someone like me – who has pretty much no responsibilities other than myself, my property and my pets – then I cannot fathom how we put a working mother of three through this shit. I don't understand how any of you with children, medical/student/any debt, chronic illnesses that aren't given allowances in the workplace, massive commutes, encroaching noose of utility bills increasing, threat of homelessness with no safety net etc., manage to juggle everything in the relentless grind of late-stage capitalism. And it all seems so pointless. Every single person could have a good life if the top 0.001% paid the right fucking taxes or sold a few yachts and put the money back into the employees they scrape their money out of.
Anyway, all this to say, hats off to all of you. That you're still here is a miracle and I'm glad to digitally reach out and shake your hand in solidarity.