Dear Editor:
Please be kind to city workers, it’s not our fault that we aren’t allowed to work harder.
As a former parks labourer, my faith in our democratic institutions has never been lower. I’m not kidding, I went from Leslie Knope to Ron Swanson over the course of one summer.
Multiple people told me that as a temporary labourer, I should keep my head down if I want to keep my job. If I have an idea to improve operational efficiency, keep it to myself. If I finish my work early, don’t call my supervisor for more work, because if management catches them assigning work inefficiently, they could get fired.
In a system of power and control, it is unfair to blame those with the least amount of power.
The vast majority of my coworkers are good people, many have families and are just trying their best to survive in a city with a high cost of living. Many city workers suffer from some kind of mental health issue such as anxiety, depression, anger, grief, apathy, or low morale.
Next time you see a city worker being “lazy,” please refrain from making a hostile comment. Even if we wanted to work harder, we can’t. Believe me, I tried.
Our words have enormous power over the mental health of others. Please don’t be the sort of person who yells at the cashier when you’re having a bad day. We are all living in times of unprecedented stress and trauma. Kindness, compassion and respect makes a huge difference.
Jacqueline Parsons
North Vancouver
