Right after the KV negotiations, I felt weak and already a bit ill. “There's nothing that a hot bath and a quiet evening wouldn't solve,” I thought to myself. The next day, the weather was nice and sunny, and I struggled with reason as to whether it was really so wise to go cycling — i.e. to go to work. After 2 hours, I stopped working to see a doctor. I've been on sick leave ever since.
This is not specifically related to the KV negotiations.
A student colleague might have a lot to do for their studies right now, whether it's a thesis or examination period, or simply a tedious group effort, or just all at once.
Another colleague may be working hard as a climate activist, another is just trying to set up her own business; another is just breaking up with all sorts of worries and fears that arise during the pandemic.
Another colleague may be experiencing stress in his private life right now, maybe a move will be necessary, maybe there was a dispute in the family or relationship.
Perhaps many things fall by the wayside with another colleague and are permanently neglected because he has been working far more than 40 hours for months and has already completely forgotten that he can do more with his life than earn money. Home, family, friends, physical health, finances, mental health, social security suffer as a result, it can easily become a vicious circle.
We all have our bags to bear and are very lucky when life is stress-free right now. Sometimes life also seems stress-free because everything you do is fun or meaningful anyway. You only check the need for rest when the gastritis has already matured, or the whistling in your ear has stopped going away, when the pain in your knee has relieved, or you have an accident due to carelessness, or suddenly become aggressive because of a little thing and do things that frighten you yourself. We don't know what other people are going through in their respective lives right now. However, it should be clear that we often face some stress factors in this industry or in the lives of workers in the low-wage sector. For many, sick leave means loss of pay. Even if this does not result in a loss of pay, many also fear for their jobs if they are ill too often. Additional stress factors, in other words. There's a lot going to be brewing over the long term.
The antibiotics didn't work for me, the doctors didn't take time for me but instead prescribe sauteurs vitamin supplements to get me through the winter and through all the stress. Meh The effectiveness of vitamin supplements is controversial, and I'd rather spend my money on vegetables. But how much longer am I supposed to be ill? I can't stay on sick leave for 3 weeks! Something must help, right? After a brief moment of despair, I decide not to stress anymore. Healing often doesn't happen as quickly as the economy would like, as you take antibiotics for a week and then be able to work again, as long as you just take your vitamins well but maintain the stressful lifestyle. Well then I'll just stay on sick leave for another week, cook healthy food and take things more calmly. In return, there is paid sick leave... and a working time law with maximum working hours, rest periods and overtime supplements... which urgently needs to be adapted to our current living conditions and the stress factors of digitalization.
As long as you're healthy, it's hard to imagine illness. If you are ill, however, you definitely don't need any further stress factors that should “motivate you to get better faster.” Not being paid in full in the event of illness is nothing but encouragement to self-exploitation. Yes, most of us don't want to do this job forever anyway. There are hardly any jobs that you do forever these days. But that is really no reason to forego quality of life and genuine social security.
