Would you pull a sickie for a pre-booked trip?

I do not think the contract here is reasonable. You should be able to book leave in advance (5 weeks is not enough notice). If you book leave around a date, you should also be able to book off the Saturday. I think they have been very unreasonable as an employer regarding this.

Happily without an ounce of guilt

Only pull a sickie, or go in any way without permission, if you are ok with however they may discipline you if they found out. It's going to be bloodly obvious now!

Have you actually explained why you are asking? As in setting out that your DP with every respect for the 1 in 4 rule has genuinely messed up? I know they think they need to draw a line and it’s a funny one as to whether anything could find the chink in the armour where they might say yes.

otherwise what would actually happen if people played dumb and just sorted the swap? So your colleague working on her anniversary rocks up the week early and covers the colleague missing child’s birthday?

No, they shouldn't all have to quit. Convenient if they do as then they can put this lovely policy in the contract of all the new employees.

And yeah it kinda was what I took from your post as you keep banging on about rules and respect. Changing their contractual terms of annual leave and working hours because of one woman's behaviour isn't respectful. It's treating them like children. It's also borderline discriminatory - there's no paid childcare on Saturdays so what are single parents meant to do if they can't swap?

That’s all you take from my post?

honestly? If the company has a new policy then yes… bloody unfair I do totally agree

people don’t like it, then quit… lying is the lowest thing to anyone….

Do you genuinely think that a new policy for existing employees meaning people who booked a holiday over Easter months ago would need to cancel if they get rotaed on that Saturday is reasonable?

No they don’t!!! Jesus, get a grip!

they have rules to follow just like everyone and everything else.

remember, these ‘shit’ employers pay people’s wages.

dont like how a company is ran, well off to fuck you go.

i genuinely can’t believe how many people are happy to continuously lie and take the piss.

its called respect, its a simple thing that many people don’t have.

It'll be so obvious you're lying now so you'll have to rearrange your trip. You wouldn't relax properly anyway knowing you've lied.

This! If you trust your work friend then just do that.
Have they actually got a written policy about the Saturday swaps and has it been through HR? I'd just crack on with the swap.

Well yeah. The company seem they are treating their employees like arseholes so they deserve no better

If you have HR or a union go to them.

If you don't get your colleagues together and protest but put a plan togethet that would work for both sides and present that don't just complain.

The annual leave being generous is completely worthless when you only get ypur Saturday rota 5 weeks in advance and can't mark any of them as dates to avoid. You can't guarantee a full 7 days or even longer off until that rota comes out which events like holidays, and weddings even your own wedding would have to be scheduled at very short notice.

I suspect your contract says nothing about any of it other than the actual requirement to work one in four Saturdays.

So either propose a swap system that works or that the rota for Saturdays is published at least 6 months in advance

So, lie then?

Do it and enjoy your trip, just don't post about it on social media

Not if she rings in sick with a pregnancy ailment

I think you should, it’s absolute nonsense. I’ve genuinely never heard of such a stupid policy.

So someone could book a two week holiday months in advance. The leave is granted over the Mondays to Fridays. But then a few weeks before they’re due to go a Saturday is scheduled in the middle of it? Absolute madness. Who dreams this stuff up? Clue: someone who themselves doesn’t have to comply with such idiotic policies

Are you part of union? Can you ask them for advice?
Surely most people book holidays further off than 5 weeks so the rota system surely won't work.

Well I think you are going to need to go to the manager and explain the situation, saying you have someone that is willing to swap or you need to see if the holiday can be moved. I don't think it is a good idea to pull a sickie, it's already going to look suspicious and even if you don't want to stay at that company long term they might give you a less favourable reference (they can't be negative but they can stick to facts).
I am not sure why you don't have a shared calendar with your partner as this would then mean he could have checked more carefully beforehand (either an old fashioned wall calendar with your Saturdays marked on it, or shared on your phones).

Have you got an employment contract? If so what does it say about not swapping Saturdays?

Can you mark any Saturday's as dates to avoid in advance?

Have you got an HR department or a union?

Don’t get Julie involved!

Suggest that at the next team meeting this is raised for discussion. Then get the whole team together and agree that you all have to propose one solution and stick to it. (I.e 2 way swaps allowed if agreed X weeks in advance and responsibility for re-arranging is clear). If you have a meeting where you’re all arguing this is just going to prove managers right!

If you don’t have team meetings, send an email from you all and set out the real-life consequences that the ban is causing.