To think we shouldn't have to work the day before Christmas Eve?

At my previous job, driving was part of the role. Any driving/work outside of normal hours was given back as TOIL and travel expenses were covered.

Tbh, I get the feeling that the company you work for probably describes themselves as "family". I'd be looking for a new job.

Of course YANBU. Expecting you to do a 6 hour round trip is unreasonable on any day but the roads and public transport is busier and more chaotic at that time of year. It just doesn’t foster goodwill in employees. What are people with childcare issues meant to do? Or any other family responsibility?

You need to 'break down' on the way. Go out one day and stage some photos of you standing on a hard shoulder next to your car looking sad and anxious. Put the hazard warning lights on. Take a separate photo at home and fake some smoke coming from the engine. Just a close up with your DH holding a sheet of burning newspaper nearby or some such.

Then text - Aargh breakdown on M[*] - Roadside assistance on way but they are slammed because of the time of year. Said they had a horrific black eye Friday and still catching up. Will be there when I can. Then just don't turn up.

I think its nice that the owner wants to create some team spirit, but if you already made other plans just give your apologies and take it as annual leave.

I think it is normal to have to work the 23rd, I do. It is outrageous that they are asking you to drive to Manchester, totally tone deaf management. If you want throw some sort of 'party' or social for your employees you make it easy for them. The boss should travel to the shop or have it somewhere local. If he has some weird reason for needing it to be in Manchester then lay on a coach or something.

I hate this typical management bullshit who think doing stuff like this makes people feel valued - ooh the big boss is buying us all pizza or is deigning to let us into his house - we must feel so honoured. Staff just want to be paid fairly, treated fairly and have a work life balance.

Shops being closed is not the same as you getting a day off

Also check your contact to see if you are employed to work at one site only or multi sites.

Or catch a sick bug

Potentially your car insurance may not cover driving for work, other than your usual commute to one place.

Even if it does, you may want to tell your work that your car insurance absolutely doesn't cover this......

It's because it's not them having to do it 🤣

Why not get another job. This company sound terrible.

Never heard of sales assts of what must be a small-ish bath store being asked to travel for 6+ hours to a Xmas do and also 'threatened' that their career won't progress.

Unless you're a shop manager and there is some special reason why you need to attend, I'd not go.

You have several big towns within a 30 minute drive where you live.
Surely there are better options?

Tell them you're prepared to work that day instead of the Manchester nonsense. Have your own mini party at work.

That's straightforward then. Get together to say collectively that no travel expenses means no travel.

Do you belong to a union?

I hate forced social events for work, which is what this is. I don't think it's reasonable, but you're stuck. So either take the day off, or go and smile. The threat about progress in the company is daft, and makes them look petty.

I still think it's reasonable to be expected to work on 23rd which is a normal business day, but I agree that it's unreasonable not to be giving travel expenses, and expecting you to leave home at 6am to get there by 9am is unreasonable - they should be having an 11am start time or be paying for a hotel. Is there a Plymouth branch of the shop? Staff from there would have a 5.5hr journey to get to Manchester - leaving home at 3:30 AM!

Honestly reading all your updates that is bonkers.

Honestly I would work out the cost of doing this travelling vs a days wage especially as you are expected to go in your own time and not get pay expenses

Sorry but every company I know with multiple UK locations have local get togethers for Christmas or all expenses including overnight stays are paid for by the company after all entertaining staff at an annual event is tax free for companies (up to a certain amount)

And yes of course the days the company is closed over Christmas comes out of your AL allowance, decent companies will provide extra days for this that cover the non BH days

I wouldn´t go. No expenses? Nah. Don´t think so.

I'm surprised so many people would apparently be totally fine with this

Black eye Friday is a term for the last Friday before Christmas, where people tradionally used to go out straight after work, get hammered by 8:30 and have fights in the street.

Check your contract to see what it says about holidays and closure dates. And if you don't want to go, book it off. It's not unreasonable given the huge journey they want you to make.

You could also tell them you can't afford the travel - I think it's unreasonable for them not to pay for this and definitely not normal to not cover the travel time as paid.

Doesn’t sound too bad if in work time?
I’m finishing midday on Christmas Eve

Oh. That’s rubbish! What if you can’t afford it?

It is totally unreasonable of them not to pay travel expenses. What have they said about this? You should challenge this.

I wouldn't want to drive for 3 hours to start 'work' at 9am. You will be very tired for the journey home as you are being expected to put in a full working day. This really is not on and you should challenge it.

However being expected to basically go to a work event instead of your usual work isn't unreasonable and is very common. It's kind of like a conference. So that part you shouldn't challenge.

The government in the UK fudges numbers of employment, with people employed on zero contracts working for no rights at all but still showing as working.

In Spain and many European countries, zero contracts are illegal. Employees always need to have a working contract.

It breaks my heart reading posts like yours. It's not a tough market, it's a political policy.

I wouldnt drive it, get them to pay a train

However the title of the thread is 'AIBU to think we shouldnt work on this day'

and Yes you are unreasonable, plenty of us are

Well just say you can’t drive that far and need to get a train at the company’s expense. Work travel is paid for by work!