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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my work is being out of order re: the royal wedding?

196 replies

KittenSLittle · 02/02/2011 15:12

My local NHS trust, where I work, has just decreed that the day of the royal wedding is to be treated as a normal working day! Now, I'm no royalist but as far as I was aware it's meant to be a national holiday. Instead they're running everything as normal and those who usually work Fridays will be made to do so and won't be paid a penny more (they will get a day off in lieu apparently, although when they'll be able to take it I don't know).

AIBU to think this is really mean and just not in the spirit of things?

OP posts:
ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 02/02/2011 17:52

Mutt - I agree, I really think that was the sensible solution. Declaring it a 'National Holiday' is all well and good when you aren't the one footing the bill - but you are getting all of the kudos!

DarrellRivers · 02/02/2011 17:53

Gosh what a load of misery Grin from op and most of thread

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 02/02/2011 17:55

ENorma - beause all leave is contractual.

Melty · 02/02/2011 17:56

Oh Lord,
I kind of see the OPs point ie if you have to work on a public holiday, you should get any agreed renumeration. (in my trust, normally if working shifts, you get a shift alowance for a public holiday.(+60%)
I dont see why some people should get paid for a public holiday and others not.
But I can see that an extra 60% for everyone working in the NHS on that day not planned for, in the current economic state would not be a good thing for the NHS.
I have many years service and I get a total of 33 days leave plus 8 bank holiday days.
I work 9-5 (well in theory )after many years of shift work and I think that 6 weeks or so is plenty of leave for me.
We have also been told that we are not getting a bank holiday, and you know what, I am relieved. I cant keep up with the workload as it is, and another day away wouldnt help with that.
I also have Zero interest in the wedding. Someone I don't know getting married to someone else I don't know. Meh.

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 02/02/2011 18:00

Melty - the thing is though that she is getting the agreed renumeration as per her contract, this is in addition to her contract so I don't really see how you can bitch about getting more than is in your contract Confused

Melty · 02/02/2011 18:18

Thats a good point Chipping, however when we last got an extra bank holiday, can't atually remember why, (someone died-Queen Mum? or we got the olympics or something), we got the extra day.
So if we are going on past custom, they should carry on. (Although personally I think they shouldn't)

I was working shifts then, so I got my 33 plus the extra bank holidays, ( Whether or not I worked them!
And if I worked them I got the +60%. (Thats for everyone band 4 and up.)

No wonder the NHS has no money.

upahill · 02/02/2011 18:32

DarrellRivers damm right there's a lot of misery.

A lot of self employed people are struggling at the moment and to have a holiday right on top of the Easter holidays and before another Bank Holiday is a disaster financially,

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 02/02/2011 18:37

Melty - yes, you can rather see why the NHS struggles!! Grin but overall would you say you are badly/adequately/well paid for what you do? (taking into account allowances, holidays etc).

Upahill - some people live in a bubble, don't let their ignorance wind you up. They'll be the first ones to complain if it affects them!!

Lizzywishes · 02/02/2011 18:38

To OP, sorry.

frankie3 · 02/02/2011 18:39

I woudl rather have the day off. If I have to work on this Bank Holiday then it will cost me as all the schools will be closed and I will have to pay for childcare.

hairyfairylights · 02/02/2011 18:48

Yabu.

ENormaSnob · 02/02/2011 19:40

Chipping, I am a midwife and feel my pay is on the low side considering the skill and resposibility. It isn't something I dwell on though as I chose to train in this area and genuinely love what I do.

On the other hand our working conditions are pretty shit, no breaks, low staff morale, unpaid overtime etc...

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 02/02/2011 19:46

ENormaSnob - it's a shame people aren't paid in accordance with the value of the work they do. MW's would get paid loads - politicians pennies!! Not to mention all the perks....

frgr · 02/02/2011 19:48

Neither my work, nor DH's work, are getting ths day off, never mind an EXTRA day

in fact, out of all the people who work i only know of 1 who's having an extra day for it, and that's my SIL who owns her own little shop, so she has a huge amount of flexibility anyway. i think she's only closing because the girl she employs asked about it and she figured it was a good idea (she's not a royalist from what i can tell)

so, the idea someone would be angry about not gettingthe day is totally foreign to me!

grottielottie · 02/02/2011 19:49

I don't blame your employers op.

The whole thing is a ridiculous ploy by the government to distract us all from the economic problems and cuts in this country, it's completely obscene for Cameron et al to put added pressure on employers to subsidize it.

notevenamousie · 02/02/2011 19:49

We're the same but then I understand that our service would be truly deeply compromised by a 4 day week followed by a 3 day week and another 4 day week. 4 lots of 4 will be bad enough as it is.
Our medical director said we can bring our children to work though - DD will be in bliss Grin - not too sure what the patients are going to think of that one though Hmm

Gemsy83 · 02/02/2011 19:54

The only lazy cow who should see it as any different to any other day is KM- the day she gets her meal ticket for life and can ponce around doing sod all important forever more. Be thankful you are doing something far more worthy!

ENormaSnob · 02/02/2011 19:58

Fwiw I am not even that bothered about an extra bh but it will be really difficult if schools and Cm take it as one.

Plus it would piss me off if everyone else in the country gets it as a bh but not the nhs.

Rebeccaruby · 02/02/2011 20:00

Haven't read all the posts, but surely it's better to get a day off in lieu? Then you can choose when to take it. Much better IMHO. But then, I have no interest in the wedding.

AnyFucker · 02/02/2011 20:09

Norma, yes, that is how I feel

If the education system gets it, the NHS should get it, and everyone else too (of course the NHS would still be "open for business" like it is on every other public holiday !)

or else what is the point ?

it's just divisive the way it is....and division is the last thing we need in the current climate

personally, I would prefer that no special arrangements were made at all for anybody

ENormaSnob · 02/02/2011 20:13

Me too af.

It will actually cost me a bloody fortune if Cm and school has it as a bh but nhs don't recognise it as one.

Prefer it if no one has it.

reelingintheyears · 02/02/2011 20:17

DP and his mates are mostly self employed plumbers/electricians/builders etc.

Their choice i know.

They won't get a day off on the day or one in lieu.

Nor will they be able to bump up their rates when people want work doing on the happy day.

Morloth · 02/02/2011 21:43

Why the fuck is somebody getting married a cause for a bank holiday? They are not that important surely?!

Melty · 02/02/2011 21:45

To answer Chipping from earlier, I think if I did a 37.5 hr week for my pay, (I am a band 7) the money would be pretty good.
But, I work more like a 50-60 hr week, with not more than a quick sandwich for a lunch break if I am lucky. (And all of my department is like that, they haven't replaced people as they have left and we all have to pick up the slack)
Sometimes, we have to do extra because thats just the way it is-if we have courses running sometimes we dont finish til about 8pm. I have accumulated and recorded more than a months worth of overtime from those days, (to be taken in lieu) but theres no time to take it, so I have given up recording it. And we dont get paid overtime!
I'm not complaining. (Well not much Grin )
The NHS is still run mainly on goodwill.... but at least I dont have to do nights any more...
On the other hand, I have done a good 20yrs of shiftwork, with hours of unpaid overtime every week, so I think the NHS has had its moneys worth out of me.
And every midwife and nurse currently working gives the same.
So I suppose it's not surprising that people might want something back now.

As for part of the public sector having a holiday and the other half not, for a wedding that a lot of people don't care about, that is completely bonkers. Either we should all be doing it or none.
I'm on the side of none.

In the sort of climate that people are worrying if they can make this months mortgage payments or if the kids will be able to have new shoes, its disgraceful that so much money will be wasted on this day.

I'm not a Royalist in case you might be wondering. Grin

slartybartfast · 02/02/2011 22:12

i wonder about tesco and B & Q staff for instance?

will they be allowed the day off if they want it?
well?
they may well want to watch the wedding but their bosses may be telling them, no we will be inundated with customers??!