Keep Your "Thank You", I'll Take a Raise Instead.

"Thank you" doesn't pay the bills.

"Thanks, from the bottom of my heart" doesn't pay the bills.

"Thank you for coming to work" does not pay the bills.

Is there a check at the bottom of your heart? Can I pay my medical bills with your appreciation? Can I pay off my student loans with your gratitude?

No.

Essential workers are risking their lives. Risking their family's lives...

For all that shop in stores instead of online during this pandemic.

Of course, the circumstances surrounding the pandemic didn't need to tell me that I'm not appreciated enough to be paid a respectful wage.

Of course, I'm grateful to still have a job.

Of course, I'm grateful for the minimal safety precautions put in place to protect me.

But I still don't make enough money to move out.

I work at one of the most popular retail giants of our time. I bet you can guess which one...

With what we are put through most days, coming from customers and managers, the piddly checks we get make me wonder if taking Karen's abuse is worth it. Many of us struggle to make ends meet trying to support our families. Some of us are ok but most of us are not.

We're essential? Really? We're certainly not treated as such. We've never been treated this bad. Don't get me wrong there are a number of customers that are very nice, extremely civil, but not enough of them are.

If this public depends on us, if we're truly essential, shouldn't we be treated like human beings? With basic dignity and respect, if not, civility? We are not robots. We have emotions, even though we're encouraged to bottle them all up. From the inside it seems that automation is where the company is headed so take advantage of us while you can.

Don't believe me? Apply.

When I first heard the recorded message from our CEO telling us we are 'heroes' during this pandemic that perform not only an essential function but an indispensable one I couldn't help but laugh. When I heard it for the third time it ceased to be funny, I started feeling insulted. Now, I just get angry.

How can they say we are essential heroes but not pay us a living wage? It's real simple...

They're liars.

Don't misunderstand, I wrote a "living" wage. We can't "live" off of this, we can survive paycheck to paycheck, barely, but what is that worth?

Living is different than surviving. What is the point of surviving for surviving's sake?

Living means being comfortable, being able to pay for insurance, being able to pay for college, being able to pay your prescriptions and medical bills, and having money left over for other needs; children's expenses, food, clothing, recreation, savings, car payments, etc.

It also means I should not have to worry. But I do. I worry about making ends meet for myself. I worry about the mental and economic state of my sibling. I worry about my aging parents. How can I help support them if I can't even support myself? Will we end up homeless? Will we end up as just another statistic? Will we become a strain on this government?

How is it that our CEO and those who hold all the power can make millions, billions even, and not afford to pay it's "heroes" a living wage?

I will never understand.

This is why a 'thank you' is not enough.

This is why a 'thank you' will never be enough.

This is why a 'thank you' is an insult.

I never know what to say to a customer that says this to me...

I do know what to say to a customer that is yelling at me for the store not getting a shipment of Lysol or Clorox wipes. I can't actually say it, if I want to keep my job that is. I have to stay silent, smile, kiss their butt and die inside each time.

For those that are interested, store workers DO NOT CONTROL SHIPMENTS. Our company has put a hold on what can be ordered and who can order. Store workers also DO NOT MAKE STORE POLICIES, we only enforce them, or try to but it's hard when a customer is being childishly irate and our own management doesn't back us up. No wonder customers are confused and angry. We tell them the policy and then management comes behind us and ignores it. But if we ignore it we get fired. Management is undermining themselves!

So, the public can keep their "thank you"s and replace them with a higher wage. We should be paid a living wage whether or not there is a pandemic. A 500 dollar one-time bonus? Please. Of course, every little bit helps...but I shouldn't even have to have an attitude like that.

Just pay us like the contributing members of society that we are and stop belittling our positions in life.