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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect the office lady to offer me a cake

54 replies

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow · 16/03/2011 13:20

started work today as a temp in an office.

Me and 3 other permenant ladies. One of the other ladies just asked the other 2 if they wanted a cake while she was out, but didn't ask me. So now they are all sitting in the next room with their cakes.

Why would anyone do something like that? Just don't get it.

OP posts:
TechLovingDad · 16/03/2011 14:16

It's sad and shows they clearly don't have enough work to do, if playing silly games occupies their minds so much.

You're probably earning more than them too, which will wind them up. Grin

Hammy02 · 16/03/2011 14:16

MooMoo-Yep-sounds like her! She was horrible to everyone. She once moaned (in all seriousness) that her DP was a 'nightmare' as he had used to many carrots in the meal he'd made for her the night before! What a b*stard!

nicckynoo · 16/03/2011 14:28

Sounds like the sort of things my friends do and I just ignore them and don't let it get to you.

squeakytoy · 16/03/2011 14:30

I now remember why I hated temping Grin

crystalglasses · 16/03/2011 15:16

I recently worked with someone in the same office as someone for several years and rarely said hello even when I said hello to her. I gave up after about 2 years and we worked in silence. e clearly didn't like me for some unknown reason as she didn't even come to my leaving party.

Original poster
NotSuchASmugMarriedNow · 16/03/2011 20:51

well, i've been mulling this over this evening (yes, I'm a sad old cow who needs to get a life Grin) and I think I might have upset the woman beforehand.

You see, about an hour before this happened she said to me

"would you be ok to go into town and do the banking?"

and I said

"no I don't mind - is there a company car I can use because I'm not insured to use my car for business" and she just said no and slunk off.

Do you think this could have upset her? Why should I use my car to do a company's banking?

Was I being petty or do I have a point?

OP posts:
BlackandGold · 16/03/2011 20:56

Difficult one.

I once did a temp job where I was expected to take the post to the post office on my way home after I finished at 5pm. Sadly I think this happens in quite a few jobs.

MooMooFarm · 16/03/2011 20:58

Yes OP maybe she took it as you being unhelpful, but as you say, technically you would have been using your car for business use, so had a fair point IMO.

Or she may just be a snotty old moose (that's my word of the day Grin)

KenDoddsDadsDog · 16/03/2011 20:58

Ah that will be the reason for no cake! You upset the hierarchy.

moondog · 16/03/2011 20:58

How aSTOUNDINGLY RUDE.
mY SIL did this once years ago, when I stayed with her and BIL. They had special cookies for after dinner. None for me.

A colleague I share space with frequently has the radio on and never trurns it off when I come in the office, even thoguh I always ask her to telling her I can't work with it on.

I don't get this. If someone asked me once, I'd always then put it off if I saw them coming.

southeastastra · 16/03/2011 20:59

i had one temping job where no one would tell me what to do as i was taking their overtime - i left at lunchtime

Original poster
NotSuchASmugMarriedNow · 16/03/2011 21:00

BlackandGold yeah, it was exactly this sort of piss-taking (whilst temping at other companies) that makes me put my foot down now I'm older and wiser.

I too have been asked to take the post whenn I leave at 5 (and my timesheet gets signed till 5) - I don't even drive past the post office for god's sake, I live at one end of town and the PO is at the other end. And there's always a bloody big queue at 5.20 in the PO.

Employers are so fucking cheeky! - I'd be paid till 5 and not arrive home till ten to six!

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 16/03/2011 21:00

You are serious really about not doing the banking in your own car?

How is it business going to lunch and paying money in?

Jeeeez no wonder you didn't get cake.

slartybartfast · 16/03/2011 21:03

perhaps yyou should have welcomed the chance to leave the office, not to do it in your lunch hour, just after or before lunch.

same happened to me re - cake.
people are so nasty arent they.

PepsiPopcorn · 16/03/2011 21:06

YANBU. Rise above it and offer biscuits to all with a smile tomorrow.

V. petty if she took offence at you quite rightly not wanting to drive an uninsured car!

Will you have to work there long?

Original poster
NotSuchASmugMarriedNow · 16/03/2011 21:07

No it was before lunch I was asked to do the banking. I wouldn't have minded if there was a car available but I wasn't going out into town anyway I had brought my lunch with me.

So if I had crashed my car driving to the bank for them, I'd have been driving illegally with no valid insurance. Plus I have a £250 excess.

Stuff it, I am just so fed up being treated badly. I'm a temp not a doormat.

I don't think the lady was expecting such a swift response though Grin - I'd practiced saying it to myself beforehand! like mumsnetters recommend. I was really confident! For once.

OP posts:
Figgyrolls · 16/03/2011 21:08

Not being funny but I find it a bit weird that they ask the temp to do the banking, don't you? Not that I am saying you would be doing something untoward but it isn't very responsible to send the new girl off to the bank with a whole load of cash (if there was any) just seems a bit wrong really but maybe thats just me.

Mind you just remember, you get to leave the company and go somewhere else for your next temp job - they don't AND I expect you get paid more! (I used to temp at uni and it was worthwhile taking off one week in five/six to fund me for that whole time! Shock - not sure that would happen now BUT it was brilliant at the time as I didn't have to work late nights but got to go out on them Wink)

tinierclanger · 16/03/2011 21:10

Of course you were right about the car. Can't believe anyone would think otherwise. Hope you're not stuck with the cake-bitches for too long.

slartybartfast · 16/03/2011 21:12

i left a job once when they didnt feed me Shock
first day they fed me, and my colleague,

but after that they just saved food for my colleague but not me i had to make myself a sandwich Shock

Original poster
NotSuchASmugMarriedNow · 16/03/2011 21:17

That reminds me of the time I went to a new mother and toddler group in the neighbouring village and the woman in charge made toast for everyone except me Grin

isn't it odd how these things stay with us?

OP posts:
iscream · 16/03/2011 21:28

I don't think you were unreasonable regarding the car after reading your reasoning behind it. I do think she had bad manners to get them all a treat and leave you out. I would bring in treats for everyone tomorrow, including her. Good luck.

libelulle · 16/03/2011 22:47

As a student I did audio typing in a publishing co and one woman apparently disliked me so intensely she sneaked over to the other typist in the next section rather than give me her tapes to transcribe. Even now I think what an amazingly stupid way of showing your dislike for someone - I was gutted, obviously, to have one less person to do mind-numbing typing for Grin. I never actually even spoke to her; I think she just hated me on principle because she was stuck there and I was off to freedom at the end of the summer.
Mum and toddler goups have nothing on office politics in rubbish companies where everyone hates their job; coming in as a temp to that kind of environment is doubly hellish.

I feel your pain, but when someone behaves in such an astoundingly petty and narrow-minded way, you can feel effortlessly and blamelessly superior to them and their childish ways, so at least revel in that:)

stubbornhubby · 17/03/2011 12:19

so, did you get any cake today?

chipmonkey · 17/03/2011 12:40

God, that is horrible! If we have anyone new and/or temporary, I go out of my way to ask if they'd like a coffee etc. Even went out of my way to get a soy-latte for a girl who was lactose intolerant! They sound like a pack of bitches! At least it's only temp and you're not stuck with them!

Northeastgirl · 17/03/2011 13:58

Take the moral high ground. Offer biscuits to everyone. Sleep easy at night knowing you probably made them wince a little.