Help me word this email- A/L

[Octopuscrazy]

My employer rules are that myself and counterpart are not allowed to be off at the same time. Counterpart has requested leave for whole of Oct half term break and whole of Xmas. Obviously he is entitled to a/l allowance but I can't help but feel like this is a little unfair. How can I say this without coming across as entitled/ unreasonable? I have got some leave approved in September that he did not object to. Please can you help me word a reasonable reply.
Thank you

There ought to be some sort of system for working this out. First come first served is no good at all.

Ours is (loosely) 1 week out if each 2 week school holidays. 2 weeks in summer, either the week before Christmas or the week after, etc. Flexibility if no one else is booking.

Yeah, it's not fair for someone to unilaterally take all the Christmas leave. Where I used to work we all used to take Christmas off but then new boss insisted someone be in every day over Christmas (except the bank holidays). We drew lots for who had to work when as we obviously all wanted Friday 27th off.

When I worked in retail and we were open Christmas Eve and boxing day (late finish Christmas Eve due to setting up the sale and early start on boxing Day) it was arranged so everyone who worked Christmas Eve got boxing day off and vice versa.

Most work places split Christmas between staff op so I think your email sounds good

Take out the maybe and say let's have a chat, it is a touch too deferential and depending on his character he might just wall all over that. You want polite + friendly but not doormat.

Personally I think heddagarbled's wording was better, it was I less 'I was hoping' 'maybe a chat' and more 'I think we should share' 'let's have a chat'. But also find out what the work policy is and what's been done before, you're new so you need to know how the land lies. Has the job always been shared, how was holidays carved up before? Is he taking advantage cos you're new and you don't know the score, or is it the person who grabs first gets...