To tell them to F*** off and quit before the Christmas break?

This sounds like it could be a storyline on the nursery nurse! 😂

YANBU but make sure you do it so you get paid over Christmas. January sucks at the best of times, plan your notice period so you get paid.

Don't resign.
Don't go tomorrow.
They will either not sack you or you'll do well at the Employment Tribunal.
But look for another job anyway, they're twats.

Our local Tesco used to brag about their employees volunteering at the local hospice charity shop. In one of the surveys I wrote to them that if the employees didn't get paid for their work at the charity shop by Tesco then actually I wasn't impressed at all, I was appalled. I can't have been the only one to answer like that because shortly thereafter, the Tesco employees no longer got voluntold to work at the charity shop.

To be truthful a tribunal is a lot of work and stress and won’t make you a millionaire

don’t provide unpaid work

keep a copy of everything via email - make sure it’s clear you are asked to do something unpaid - even just mail them and say “given I have been told that the event tomorrow in addition to be outside my working house is also unpaid, I won’t be able to attend “ just so that it’s on record

If childcare roles are easy to find - find yourself your next job and wave bye bye. Ideally without resigning first.

Check your contract and unless there's something in it that says you must work extra hours on a non-working day, don't turn up tomorrow. If all of you do that, let them sack all of you.

I agree with PP, send an email saying you won't be attending their event on your non working day.

There’s a massive recruitment crisis is early years. You’ll ask into another job, hopefully one that appreciates you more than your current employers.

I've heard so many times that there are shit management that run nurseries, mainly the chain one's.

I'd just leave today, as you say these kind of establishments are always looking for staff, there's no way you should be spoken to like that.
I'd also tell your boss that as they're threatening to sack you anyway they won't see it as a problem with you leaving.

I suspect there are nurseries out there where management do treat workers well and those will know that a big turnover can happen, and why so you'll always be able to find another job.

Your boss needs to be taught a lesson and I hope on Monday morning they will be stood at the door having to tell parents/carers that they are short staffed and won't be able to accept their DC for the foreseeable.

Yes, I realise it's not fair on parents/carers but it would maybe make these types of management think twice before using threatening behaviour towards staff in this way again.

Email them re email sent x time requiring me to attend a 3 hour event tomorrow. I’d say you have a prior commitment and won’t be attending the event on a none working day.
Keep it short and factual (think if it went to a tribunal) keep copies of all emails and messages from them and to.
In new year look for a new job and join a union.
If they are silly enough to launch disciplinary or sack you contact acas.

This!

My work tried something similar (also a multi large company)

I just refused (took some crap from the manager and a threat of a warning) but I just laughed

I wasn't going in,that was the end of that

Apparently they did ask where I was in a snotty tone but never said another word about it

If let them sack you and then take them to the cleaners

Oh and document everything in writing, so if something is said to you email afterwards 're the conversation earlier where you said XYZ' and try to have a colleague in earshot as a witness.

Can you coordinate with everyone so that nobody shows up? If you’re painting an accurate picture, it’s really unfair on everyone and they can’t exactly sack you all! Plus none of you are legally obliged (though I would check your contract, in mine I’m expected to work overtime without pay)

This. Sadly some companies deserve it if they treat their staff like crap. You’ve been there 3 years, they can’t just sack you without consequences. Speak to ACAS if you are not in a Union.

Don't go! It's awful that to make themselves look good, they are exploiting their staff. I wouldn't resign, I would tell them you are not working without pay. If they sack you - which they won't - you have a claim for unfair dismissal. But tell them now you are not going to be there.

I'd not go and let them follow through on their threat of disciplinary action, why make it easy for them by resigning? Contact your union if you have one today, be interesting to see how far your employer would be prepared to push this, and you have your mind made up (and rightly so) that you won't be staying anyway but call their bluff first

Do NOT apologise, as you have nothing to apologise for.

I’d do this.

If you’re going to leave anyway, then you may as well stay while you’re looking for another job, and if you’re lucky they might sack you on illegal grounds and you can rinse them for a pay out too.

This.

Of you've got any emails/messages with their threats on, print them and keep them.

My d worked in several nurseries, none of them that good although high fee paying.
The last one she whistle blew on after 3 weeks as staff in her room were ignoring, ill treating very young kids, food was removed if they didn't eat it all within 5 minutes of serving. She wanted to complain to the manager but the room leader was bf with her. They would sit in the staff room on their phones while d and a trainee were looking after 15 kids on their own. A couple of parents had object to CCTV in the room so it wasn't allowed.
Part of a major chain of nurseries and very expensive. D involved the relevant authorities and left before the shit hit the fan. The trainee she kept in touch with stayed on and apparently several members of staff including room and general manager were sacked. CCTV has now been installed and the staff 'are lovely with the little ones.
It's disgusting that it came to this but d did the right thing but those poor kids and the parents never knew at the time as the guilty staff were charming and lovely to the parents and carers.

Yep.

100% this

Don’t resign

Don’t go

Let them sack you

Take them to tribunal for unfair dismissal

Life's too short to put up with this shit. They can't threaten to sack somebody for not coming in on their day off, unless the employment contract has a clause for this. Jack the job and enjoy your Christmas knowing you're not going back there. It will feel so liberating!

I wouldn't be apologising for not going tomorrow. At most I would say 'I won't be available to volunteer at your charity event tomorrow'