Surely the joke is the opposite? The martyrs risking themselves (I ken, there's zero risk in the NE at the moment) to get to their meaningless jobs? Our absolute certainty in the importance of the work we do that a couple of days will make a massive difference. We've attached such a god-like status to work that taking a few days off is deemed ridiculous, almost treasonous. Yet most of us probably sit in bull-shite jobs that could go tomorrow with little effect on the way the world moves. We should be encouraging folk to take the time off, spend it with kids or whatever when the weather is fun (for the kids of course...) rather than sitting through hours of frightened traffic all heading in the same direction.
Fuck work, sna's ace.
Edit: that wisnae a direct response to you DD