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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 · 03/02/2011 00:36

Reeling and what exactly do you base that on?

reelingintheyears · 03/02/2011 00:49

What??

Most friends of ours are employed.

They don't understand that self employed people don't get BHs'.

They all think that the wedding will be a good day off.

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 03/02/2011 00:57

Why did you say that I don't give a shit?

What have I ever said that would make you think that?

reelingintheyears · 03/02/2011 00:59

I said i don't think you don't give a shit...

Oh gawd..

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 03/02/2011 01:00

Sorry, missed your double negative.

I think that a lot of people believe all self employed people or owners of small businesses are 'raking it in' so they can afford a day off - mind you there are quite a few dimwits out there that think the Govt pays SE people for bank holidays!!

reelingintheyears · 03/02/2011 01:02
Smile It is late. For me anyway.
ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 03/02/2011 01:04

Small businesses will have to decide if they are contractually obliged to pay the BH or not and if they are they will have to decide whether to open/trade or close for the day, depending on affordability/client expectation.

Self employed people may or may not have the choice of working depending on their clients.

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 03/02/2011 01:06

Me too - especially after only a couple of hours sleep last night and I have to be out at stupid o'clock in the morning, so really need to try to get some sleep too.

Night!

Emmanana · 03/02/2011 01:08

Instead of people moaning about tradesmen who double charge etc out of hours, then go and train as a plumber/electrician etc.Then you'll be 'raking it in' as they like to put it.
People happily pay a hairdresser £50 an hour, why not the same to someone else who has spent a couple of years studying/training?

ENormaSnob · 03/02/2011 08:46

Dh is self employed.

If other parts of the public sector are having it as a bh then the nhs should too.

Wonder if the police will get normal bh conditions? They get a day in lieu plus double time iirc. Pretty sure they get paid more than nurses in the first place.

Personally think no one should have it.

lesley33 · 03/02/2011 09:29

My partner is self employed, but works 2 days a week for 1 company. The company she works for will be closed on that day. She is unlikely to get work elsewhere for just 1 day.

So she won't get paid - along with all the income she lost when she was ill earlier this year with gastroenteritis for 2 weeks. Like most self employed people she normally never takes a day off ill. But had to take 2 weeks off as she was constantly throwing up.

And lots of self employed people don't make lots of money. She only became self employed as she was struggling to get a salried job after neing made redundant.

dessen · 03/02/2011 09:35

Why should it be a holiday?

ThePosieParker · 03/02/2011 09:36

It should be treated like any other bank holiday, not any other day.

softglowsandmaybes · 03/02/2011 10:35

YABVU - do you think people wont get sick or injured then just because someone is getting married who no one actually cares about, come ON"!!!

ENormaSnob · 03/02/2011 10:39

Softglow, the op doesn't expect the nhs to shut but she does expect it to be treated as the other bh are.

Ridiculous to even suggest she means the hospital shuts.

softglowsandmaybes · 03/02/2011 10:42

So what? they get an extra day off? At who's cost? Not sure i want to foot the bill for public sector workers to have an extra day off just becuase someone they dont know is getting married!Its ridiculous to have a BH for this anyway - nobody actually cares!

hairyfairylights · 03/02/2011 10:42

If your contract says '8 bank holidays' then they don't have to honour the extra one. simples.

ENormaSnob · 03/02/2011 10:55

As most of the nhs workers on this thread have said, we don't want it as a bh. We would prefer no one to have it.

However, if other parts of the public sector have it as a bh then the nhs should too. Not particularly fair otherwise.

I presume it will be really shit for many if schools and childcare provides take it as a bh but companies and nhs etc don't.

hairyfairylights · 03/02/2011 11:02

why would you prefer no-one to have it - that's a bit mean, isn't it??

I am amazed at your comment 'if other parts of the public sector have it them the nhs should too'. It's only the public sector that thinks like this - certainly in the third sector, where I work, there is no expectation of equality between ourselves and other organisations - we are all independent of each other, as are NHS Trusts, LEAs etc.

I've seen comments on here about public sector workers who now feel aggreived that they won't get automatic uplift having taken an extra qualification - lucky them that that was ever the case! In our sector you have to wait for an opening and compete for it if you want uplift!

There is such an amazing sense of entitlement in the public sector, sometimes, it boggles me.

ENormaSnob · 03/02/2011 11:07

Mainly the childcare issue hairy.

If you read the last few pages the nhs arguement is explained more in depth.

Plus, how can it be a bh for some but not others? Surely a national holiday is for all, not a select few.

hairyfairylights · 03/02/2011 11:12

But childcare is an issue within ALL working life, not just the precious public sector. If you have a childcare issue, book leave or find alternative arrangements. It's what the rest of the world does.

The Government has decreed a certain date a bank holiday, but companies/organisations/the public sector have the choice to honour that or not, depending on the wording of contracts.

hairyfairylights · 03/02/2011 11:14

But childcare is an issue within ALL working life, not just the precious public sector. If you have a childcare issue, book leave or find alternative arrangements. It's what the rest of the world does.

The Government has decreed a certain date a bank holiday, but companies/organisations/the public sector have the choice to honour that or not, depending on the wording of contracts.

ENormaSnob · 03/02/2011 11:19

I have no childcare issue thanks hairy. On bh or any other working day.

Many others will though if schools and childcare has a bh but you are not allowed one from work.

It won't just be the precious public sector workers that struggle. What is it about that you can't comprehend?

I don't get your adversion to the public sector at all.

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 03/02/2011 11:36

I can see why they declared it a public holiday - they had no choice - can you imagine the outcry if they hadn't? 'The disrepect of the Monarchy', the only Royal Wedding (with significant players) that hasn't been declared a holiday' - apart from anything else, the international fall out would have been significant.

However, it is going to cause a lot of ill-will especially given the current climate - staff feeling even more hard done by isn't going to help anyone :(

It is going to cost a lot of people - whether that be in loss of wages, self employed income or childcare - and right now, a lot of people cannot afford that :(

I think there is even more resentment when one sector of the public service will get it yet another wont - it's just human nature.

KangarooCaught · 03/02/2011 11:45

It's an expensive time for us. There is yet another local council election close to the royal wedding, meaning the dc's school is closed twice, equaling £150 of extra childcare that we have to find.

Do you think I can bill Will & Kate?