I think I am probably BU. Staff smoking outside Tesco's

[quornqueen]

I'm hormonal this week so the littlest thing has set me off. DP says Im being a teeny bit unreasonable but he may be saying that to save his face! This post has smoking and parent and baby spaces in it so I am prepared for you all to sigh deeply and eye roll at me!

Our tescos has a little smoking hut with chairs and a light, its right by the back entrance a little further down from the parent and baby spaces. I cant see whats wrong with it tbh, but the staff prefer to smoke right by the trolleys next to the parent and baby spaces. I don't always use these spaces because I just park where ever BUT I do always have to get a trolley so I have to walk through this impromptu and non authenticated smoking area. The floor is mangy with hundreds of old fag butts, it smells as we walk through because there are a regular group of about 8 of them and my toddler often wants to walk but I don't really want him getting near it all. They are all having a laugh and that's all nice etc but they swear sometimes too. Also, its hard to get trolleys past them.

I asked nicely at Customer Services if perhaps they could move down to the real Tesco staff smoking area... its only 25ft from the area they are in now (but its covered and has a fag butt bin) and the lady looked annoyed (she is one of them!!!) but said yes she would remind staff.

A week later and they remain. AIBU to write?

[MortifiedAdams]

Walking past smokers wouldnt annoy me but I think its unprofessional to smoke in uniform in view of the customers. I have always worked in customer service and the staff smoking areas have always been well out of sight of customers.

It was also annoy me the dirty area woth fag ends etc, regardless whos fag buts they are, and Im surprised its not cleaned regularly.

[DeskPlanner]

Well I think YANBU. This would drive me bonkers, why can't they put there buts In the bin at least. Hate people dropping litter. And it would annoy me, having to walk past a group of up to 8 people smoking outside my local supermarket every time I go shopping.

[LovesBeingWokenEveryNight]

Staff should not be in an area causing an obstruction, swearing and smoking in front of customers full stop.

[Eskino]

D'you know what? I would write the letter. You might get a standard reply and nothing may change but at least you'll know you tried to do something to make your situation better.

It's horrible when what other people perceive to be minor things get your goat, you end up feeling like you're in the wrong for having your own ideologies.

[sparkle12mar08]

Start shopping in Waitrose. Far better class of staff and customer...

[DolomitesDonkey]

Get a sitter and get a hobby - your life requires both.

[Alligatorpie]

Yanbu, i hate having to walk past staff in uniform smoking.

[knackeredmother]

I suspect a lot of your answers on the first page (sorry haven't read the rest) are from smokers.
YANBU that's disgusting and I would definitely write. And shop elsewhere.

[TheNebulousBoojum]

It would annoy me, litter is unnecessary.
I moved from a very grubby area, (not because of the litter!) and one of the benefits was that suddenly I wasn't encountering litter blowing around the streets and masses of dog shit and half-eaten takeaways dumped on the floor and smashed glass. Made me happier.

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

The staff at mine DO put their fag buts in the bin though. Wouldn't be the 'done thing' to drop them on the floor. Especially if they don't want a £75 fine...

[YoniMcShoni]

Yanbu

I hate having to walk through mess and past groups of people standing around. I do smoke and I dont have a toddler but this scenario would still irritate me.

I wonder why its deemed that this sort of behavior is fine for tesco but wouldnt be fine for Waitrose for example.

Do complain to head office . Don't let those with low standards win through lack of action. Can you take pictures over several visits to use when you complain? This will help show the extent of mess and how many staff are out there at a time .

[IYoniWantToBeWithYou]

I'm not a smoker. I hate smoking actually, but I still think for the tiny amount of impact this has on the ops life she is being ridiculous.

[SkinnybitchWannabe]

micheal Portaloo I work for Tesco and its not a crappy job or minimum wage.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

This is bullshit my auntie works for tesco and she's not even allowed to have a fag in her car with her uniform on.

[MissAnnersley]

I don't think it is bullshit. At my local Tesco the staff stand at the side door smoking.

[thistlelicker]

Who is to say thy the fag ends only belong to staff? Can't customers drop them too! Just means they have to clean more! Smoking is a part of this world whether we like it or not! It's
Down to choice!! As much as people have a choice to smoke people also have right not to have it rubbed in their faces!

[thistlelicker]

Wonder what the deal is with swearing! I'm sure op swore
On here! Swearing u can't stop people swearing! Ward manager at
Local hospital also swears but in conversation !! Alot of nippy
Picking being had here

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

YANBU about the fag ends. People who drop them on the floor/ground really wind me up. Why do some people consider it OK to drop them when they presumably wouldn't drop other litter? Having said that, your toddler will have at some point to walk near much worse than fag ends so that's a little bit precious.

YABU about the swearing. You can't expect people to moderate their language all the time in case there might be kids around.

[HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey]

Quorn, I am very up tight and a bit prissy.

I would feel the same as you, I think.

Life really is too short to be complaining though.

[EntWife]

OP, for what it is worth it winds me up too. i have the same problem. they gather right on the edge of the baby trolley area, right next to the blasted fireman Sam ride they have stationed there that my DD's always wants to ride on.

we have to walk through a miasma of stinking fumes to get a trolley and get back to the car. It is disgusting and gives a really poor impression for customers.

[usualsuspect]

I wonder why some Tescos allow this and others don't.

Seems a bit odd to me.

And just at saying it's a crappy job, it's not minimum wage either.

[LayMizzRarb]

If your child is of an age where they don't understand they shouldn't pick things off the ground and eat them, then you should be watching them like an absolute hawk. What if they mistake a pile of animal poo for some tasty chocolate?
YABU to complain. Your reasons for doing so are pretty flaky. Just get on with your life.

[fluffyraggies]

My Tesco's has staff smoking outside it too, so i don't think the OP is a wind up.

''AIBU'' wouldn't be the place it is if all threads started were about 'important', earth shattering, worthy stuff - so why all the 'haven't you got anything better to think about?' posts?'

I've done ''crappy jobs'' for the minimum wage. I find all these posts saying basically 'oh leave them alone, they're in a shit job, they deserve to behave like this, ergo: ''what better can you expect?'' ' to be very insulting.

Personally i wouldn't be arsed about it all enough to complain - but if you are OP then go for it. Complain to head office though. Moaning at one of the smokers themselves was never going to get much joy was it?

FWIW i think it is pretty unprofessional of the staff to hang about like a bunch of teenagers outside their workplace.

[Maggie111]

If it bothers you so much complain to head office, who I am sure have a policy in place and the staff are breaking that policy...

But - you sound so precious not wanting to walk past people having a smoke because of your DC... It's hardly going to ruin them for life!