Politicians thank you for nursing heroes: appreciation for systematic professions!

On December 24th, several politicians from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) visited institutions that work around the clock on Christmas Eve. Among the participants, Dr. Joe Weingarten, member of the Bundestag, Michael Simon, member of the state parliament, as well as Marvin Runggas and Dieter Haufe, representative of the SPD city association Bad Kreuznach. The aim of the visits was to express appreciation for the system -relevant areas that provide essential services all year round.

The politicians brought up full Christmas bags to express thanks to the employee. The visits took place among other things at the police, in the Diakonie and Marienwörth hospitals, the bus drivers of the Krn, in the Lotte-Lemke-Haus of the AWO as well as in the protection of Michelin and KHS. Weingarten and Simon emphasized that they are often forgotten who ensures security, medical care and infrastructure. The visit is intended to highlight the recognition of the hard work in the background, as Antenne KH reported.

appreciation and challenges in systemically relevant professions

In the current discussion about systemically relevant professions, there is a double movement of upgrading and devaluation. This movement is particularly noticeable in health, nursing and care work. A short-term upgrading of these professions became visible during the Corona crisis, but it is contrasting to the permanent devaluation, which is characterized by low wages and difficult working conditions, such as Sociology.de . A research study entitled "Double Fragility: The Care Crisis in the Corona Crisis" examines the challenges with which parents are confronted in systemically relevant professions, especially during pandemic.

The social appreciation of the employees in health professions was shown, among other things, by applause during the first wave of pandemic and the introduction of a tax -free bonus for nursing staff from September 2020. Nevertheless, wages in this sector remained low, the average gross hourly wage was 16.50 euros in 2020, which was below the nationwide average of 17 euros. In addition, women present around 60% of employees in these professions, with the proportion of women in the health sector 75.6% and even 84% in nursing professions. These imbalances lead to psychological stress, among other things, since high contagion risks and additional requirements during the pandemic increase the burden of nursing staff.