“We must remember that our country relies entirely on women and men whom our economies recognize and remunerate so poorly.” Five years later, how can we put back on the table these promises of recognition for “second-line workers,” also known as “essential workers”? To support its advocacy with policymakers and employers, the CFDT services federation published a small book on Friday, October 17, titled So Essential, Essential (224 pages, 17 euros). It combines short testimonies, expert analyses, and union proposals.
Described as “forgotten,” “looked down upon,” “invisible,” yet “indispensable,” the workers interviewed share a common feeling of being relegated. “I am proud of what I do. It’s the way others look at us that makes us feel like second-class employees,” confides a cleaning worker.
All express their resentment regarding the efforts made to keep their positions during the lockdowns, and the hopes—quickly dashed—of being thanked for it with better wages and working conditions. “We are left from that period with a great sense of injustice, which is turning into anger today because we are being socially mistreated,” summarizes a retail sector employee.