COMMENT: Key workers deserve to be rewarded for their efforts

Before lockdown, maybe many of us were guilty of not giving a second thought to the army of people working hard to care for us in the NHS, or all those involved in ensuring supermarkets remain open with shelves regularly re-stocked.

Nor, if we're honest, did we think much about delivery drivers, those in the social care sector or all those employed in the various emergency services.

But now all these essential workers are appreciated by us as vital to the country continuing to function.

Every Thursday evening, we've gone to our front doors and clapped and banged saucepans to show how much we value them.

Today we report how 31 per cent of workers in Portsmouth are key workers. In Havant it's 40 per cent, while in Fareham it's 31 per cent and 32 per cent in Gosport.

They clearly play an important role in society, yet there are fears that their contribution is not reflected in their pay packets.

Jon Woods, chairman of the Portsmouth city branch of the Unison union, claims the government is considering a salary freeze for many public sector key workers.

We realise there are going to be some tough economic decisions to be taken in the wake of coronavirus. All the billions of pounds being spent on paying furloughed workers and grants to help businesses through these unprecedented times will have to be paid for somehow.

But with some of the lowest-paid key workers earning just £19,000 a year, it would seem tough in the extreme to deny them any increase after they have done so much to help keep the nation going.

They’ve shown their worth, whether it's on the front line or as foot soldiers. Surely we owe it to them to ensure they’re properly rewarded?