Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to refuse to work on Christmas Eve

100 replies

Ithinkitsjustme · 28/10/2012 19:39

for 1 hour. I work for a supermarket petrol station and my normal Monday shift is from 7pm until 10.15pm, but on Christmas Eve we have been told that we will be closing at 8. AIBU to say that I won't go in for 1 hour? Even if I go in I will still owe them 2.25 hours work. As far as I am concerned they can either ASK if the people who work until 7 would mind staying on until 8 or just close at 7.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ithinkitsjustme · 28/10/2012 20:27

Zebrafich - how nice that would be Grin

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 28/10/2012 20:28

Also,they won't pay you for Christmas Day and Boxing Day if you phone in sick on Christmas Eve.

zebrafinch · 28/10/2012 20:29

Also, how secure is your employment? If you rock the boat you may be first to be laid off.

LivvyPsMum · 28/10/2012 20:30

I really think you should look in to owing them 2.25 hours. That doesn't sound right to me. They are choosing to close at 8 - great for you, but you shouldn't owe them. Good luck. x

MrsCantSayAnything · 28/10/2012 20:34

i don't understand the "owing" 2 hours either! You won't owe them anything. They have chosen to close early. And if they want you to work another 2 hours another time, then you will be paid for it. It's not "Owing" anything.

1charlie1 · 28/10/2012 20:44

YANBU. Agree with zebrafinch and LivvyPsMum. The situation sounds bizarre, but that could be because I'm originally from Oz, and find some of the pay/ working conditions in the UK for those at the bottom end truly awful. This is not a corner shop/ local general store struggling for profits we are talking about here. This is a 'supermarket petrol station' - a national, highly profitable retailer. If you are expected to work NOT your contracted hours, but a unilaterally varied version of your contracted hours, then this is a disgrace, and you are in no way U to be upset. Good luck!

GhostShip · 28/10/2012 20:50

i don't understand the "owing" 2 hours either! You won't owe them anything. They have chosen to close early. And if they want you to work another 2 hours another time, then you will be paid for it. It's not "Owing" anything

My work has done this too. We're having christmas and boxing day off, but will then 'owe' them two days, which we will have to work. Least we get to choose when we work these extra days

DontmindifIdo · 28/10/2012 20:50

I don't see how you owe them the time either, if your contract states until 10:15pm then they need to pay you for those hours or ask you to go in early... I'd check that.

You might as well ask the younger lads who cover before you, they might have parties/pubs to go to and leaving at 5 or 6pm would mean they could get changed and grab something to eat before heading out. You won't know until you ask... Alternatively, if they don't have plans, they might bite your hand off to cover your one hour on Christmas eve if that meant the following Monday (New Years Eve) you'd come in an hour early so they could leave earlier.

BrianCoxIsEatingBrains · 28/10/2012 20:56

Bit pointless for 1 hour, seems a bit harsh for you to then owe them the 2.5 hours.

Is it too late for you to take a holiday - then you won't forfit the 2.5 hours? Maybe that is what they are hoping for, to force you to take a days holiday?

Seems weird.

Slight tangent, my mum has worked most Christmas's for the past 10 years - all day 8 -5pm. She is a nurse so it is expected, she said she would rather people with younger children got the day at home with their families.

This year, she has booked the day off, to spend with her grandchild. One woman in her unit is kicking off massively, it isn't fair apparently (this person took last year off) because her children are young and she believes mum should do a split shift with her. Makes my blood boil - if you train as a Dr/Nurse/Police/Fireman or similar, you know that your shift patterns are not regular and will fall over Christmas at some point. It is all about give and take surely? I think 99% of those in that position, understand that but there is always a minority who feel they are hard done to.

Bearing in mind, when I was younger my mum often worked Christmas day shifts - so I am more than aware of the impact on young families. Grrrrr. Sorry, sore point, mum is really upset by her colleagues attitude and I am angry on her behalf!

EugenesAxe · 28/10/2012 21:07

I would work but think it's a bit off of them to ask you to make up your hours. It's their decision to shut early and shouldn't be something you have to pick up.

CouthyMowEatingBraiiiiinz · 28/10/2012 21:23

I wouldn't do it if my travelling was going to come to more than my pay for that hour. I would not be PAYING to work for them AND owing them time to be made up at their convenience.

I can guarantee that if the OP refuses, then the bosses will just shut an hour early.

If it will cost more than the £7 you will earn to do this one hour shift, then I would refuse unless they paid me for the travelling.

If they were going to pay me for the whole shift, then I'd do it. If they were to pay the travel then I'd do it. If they were willing to stay open until the end of my shift then I'd do it.

But for 1 hr, for £7, AND having to make up the hours at a time inconvenient to me when I'm NOT contracted to work? Nope.

expatinscotland · 28/10/2012 21:27

I'd ask them if I could fill in for Xmas Eve to do an entire shift.

But working an hour till 8PM wouldn't bother me, no.

Darkesteyes · 28/10/2012 21:30

Brian thats so out of order. Has your mum pointed out to this colleauge that shes done Xmas 10 years straight.

CouthyMowEatingBraiiiiinz · 28/10/2012 21:34

IMO, an employer cannot vary a contract without the agreement of the employee. And I wouldn't agree to this. If the OP is prepared to work her full shift, then it is the management's choice not to stay open until their usual time, and they can either close another hour earlier or they can stay open until their usual closing time.

But they can't just vary a contract of employment to suit them unless it is written into the contract.

In all MY contracts, I have had it written in that work hours are only to be varied with the expressed agreement of both parties. It has never stopped me from gaining employment.

Not everybody has the ability to be flexible. I have no ability at all to be flexible, and need defined hours and days only.

McHappyPants2012 · 28/10/2012 21:36

In my husband contract he is told the shut down days, it states that the warehouse will be shut and it can either be taking as hoilday or it will be unpaid

ivykaty44 · 28/10/2012 21:40

Op will they do the same the following week when it is NYE?

maddening · 28/10/2012 21:43

Ask if you can do your full shift up to 8 so go in earlier?

Annunziata · 28/10/2012 21:44

It's only an hour. Won't you get double pay for Christmas Eve anyway?

CassandraApprentice · 28/10/2012 21:47

An office I once worked in closed over certain Christmas days and we had to take them as holiday.

Suited most of us but a collegue from abroad a non Christain with no familiy or friends who wanted the holiday time in summer so he could head home for longer - was told tough it's that or no pay those days.

Similar thing I gusse but it seems very off for the OP in this circumstance.

If it part of a supermarket chain - is there a supermarket nearby you could do the reminder of the shift in? I can't see how point out your issue and asking politely if they can sort something else out that it would be held against you.

hhhhhhh · 28/10/2012 22:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood · 28/10/2012 22:40

oh and I don't understand the complaints about other people getting a free half day at christmas eve. You turn up for work, expecting to work on Christmas eve, a day most people want off, so you probably drew the short straw to begin with. Your employers feel they can do something nice, and so reward you for this by letting you go a bit early. If they couldn't, they wouldnt and you'd work. No big deal, as far as I can see.
(for the record I tend to take Christmas Eve off)

scottishmummy · 28/10/2012 22:45

what will consequences be
will work respond?
how will colleagues take it

EnglishGirlApproximately · 28/10/2012 22:52

With most retail contracts its written in that the employee must be flexible with the need of the business and prepared to work flexible hours around busy periods. As an aside its also written in that you can be asked to work at other company locations.

They won't close early if the OP says she won't work, opening times will be set by head office generally in line with what their competitors are opening. It seems odd to me that they wouldn't just bring the shift forward though. Its part of a supermarket and there's loads to do know xmas eve in a supermarket so even if the OP isn't needed in the petrol station there would be other things to do.

Viviennemary · 28/10/2012 22:52

I can see why you don't want to. But as others have said Christmas Eve isn't a bank holiday. Could you not do a swap. It is annoying but I don't think you are within your rights to refuse to go in.

GhostofMammaTJ · 28/10/2012 22:55

Come and do my Christmas eve night shift instead if you like. 9pm Christmas eve till 8 am Christmas morning, or maybe you would prefer my Christmas night shift? Grin