During the last decade or two, people would greet members of the armed forces with “Thank you for your service.” No doubt, the public was grateful for their service and the words were heartfelt and sincere. But the words began to sound hollow. They were lip service to an idea with little action behind the words. With exceptions, the veterans found they had little thanks in the way of jobs and benefits to return to.
In the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a similar chant: “Thank you heroes and front line workers.” But many of the front line workers get no more thanks than words. According to some statistics, the average wage for a home healthcare aide is about $11/hour. Benefits are few if even existent. The wages for a hospital porter are about the same. Grocery store cashiers get less on average. The same holds true for fast food and many restaurant employees.
If we really wanted to thank these folks for their service, here are a few things we could do: