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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Or are DHs employers?

23 replies

phantomhairpuller · 06/08/2013 07:41

DH is a sales rep for an agricultural company. They (the company- not specifically DHs dept) are involved in a big show taking place next week.

He received an email last night informing him that he- and the rest of the sales team- would be picked up at 6.30am Saturday to help move machinery in preparation for the show. He knew nothing about it until he received the email!

The show is in another county and it will most likely take all day for them to do what they need to do. He will not be getting paid for his time, nor will he be able to claim the time back.

He is pretty pissed off at the cheek of it but says its just a part of his job.

I'm pretty bloody cross about it tbh, not only is it encroaching into our precious family time- of which we don't get a great deal at the best of times- but I think it's downright fucking cheeky of them to just expect the entire sales team to drop everything and help them out without a great deal of warning.

DH says I'm over-reacting. Maybe I am?!

OP posts:

BeckAndCall · 06/08/2013 07:46

Is he new to the company and didn't know this happens every year fro this show?

Or is it the first time the company has been represented at this show?

It could be bad planning on behalf of the company in not letting everyone know what is needed of the team or yourDH may have missed the memo, if this is what always happens.

And it depends how senior he is - if he is on a fixed hours contract and would normally expect overtime, then I'd say its U to ask him to do this for nothing ( maybe he can have time off in lieu?). But if he's senior enough to be supposed to do the job to the standards required and reach his targets, with no count of hours input, then that's just the job, I'm afraid.

Tweenangst · 06/08/2013 07:46

Surely as a sales rep for an agricultural company, the most crucial area of sales is agricultural shows? I am surprised your husband did not know this was going to occur.

WidowWadman · 06/08/2013 07:47

I think your husband is right - working unpaid overtime is par for the course if you don't normally get paid by the hour.

FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 06/08/2013 07:47

Difficult one. Is it usually expected of hin in this way
?
What if he were to email back and say- sorry, at a wedding at other end of the country that day, so not able to help. Because everyone else will be making their excuses!

patchesmcp · 06/08/2013 07:48

YANBU.

Fine, if they have to do it, but it must have been organised for a while so telling them now is completely unacceptable. Can he tell them he's away for the weekend and see what they say?

Original poster

phantomhairpuller · 06/08/2013 07:51

It's definitely poor planning on the part of the company- DH spoke to a colleague last night who was also asking 'wtf' and already planning his excuse!

DH is far too conscientious, much to my annoyance! He wouldn't dream of making excuses to get out of something unless they were 100% genuine!

I think this show is a bit of a one off to do with the launch of a new product.

OP posts:

Runningchick123 · 06/08/2013 07:55

Is your husband hourly paid or annual salary paid with a clause n his contract that he will need to work additional hours as and when required to prepare for shows?
If he is hourly paid then he should be paid for the days extra work but if he is salaried then it is probably something he is expected to do and the money is already accounted for in his annual salary.

FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 06/08/2013 07:58

Yes bur his employers have to be reasonable. And a full weekend day at such short notice is not

StanleyLambchop · 06/08/2013 08:00

to help move machinery in preparation for the show.

Is heavy lifting involved, and is that something he normally has to do for his job? Has he had manual lifting training? I think it is a bit cheeky of the company- who is liable is he puts his back out?

ParsingFancy · 06/08/2013 08:09

Attending the show to do his sales role - I can see that being reasonable (but only with TOIL given it's a full day out of his own time).

Heavy lifting or machinery installation if that isn't part of his normal job? No way. That's seriously WTF.

Go with Stanley's thought and drop and email to management asking when he'll be having the H&S training to cover the company's liability.

Original poster

phantomhairpuller · 06/08/2013 08:16

Sorry, I meant move as in drive. There may be an element of manual involved once they get to the show ground but I doubt it would be much.

The sales role throughout the show will be carried out by senior management due to it being a new product.

OP posts:

jacks365 · 06/08/2013 08:21

If he's not going to benefit by making contacts at the show then start thinking up excuses as the company are taking the micky. They are very unreasonable not you

samandi · 06/08/2013 08:29

It's not reasonable. Absolutely not.

YANBU.

fedupofnamechanging · 06/08/2013 09:33

I wouldn't do this - if you let people take the piss, they won't respect you. I would look at his contract and if there is nothing legally obliging junction do this at short notice, I would refuse.

I think employers need to look at how they 'ask' people to do extra work. If the email was polite, apologetic for the short notice and was asking for their help, then I would be inclined to give it. If it was assuming or demanding, then I would be saying no!

fedupofnamechanging · 06/08/2013 09:34

junction?? should say him to. I have no idea where that came from

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 06/08/2013 09:36

A reasonable task to ask the sales team to do.

An unreasonable amount of notice.

If he gets paid commission then it will benefit him in the end.

motownmover · 06/08/2013 09:39

Given the state of the economy I think I would do it. Not fun but not the end of the world.

Wishwehadgoneabroad · 06/08/2013 09:40

Hmm. I think most jobs expect people to do unreasonable things from time to time! There's usually a line at the end of your job description saying something along the lines of 'and anything else we ask you to do'

His salary pays your bills.

It's not every weekend

It's one weekend.

Pretty rubbish notice but think you will have to suck it up tbh.

If I was his manager, and he told me he wouldn't do it, obviously I couldn't stop him - but it would prevent me from thinking he was worth promoting in the future! Sad. But true.

HormonalHousewife · 06/08/2013 09:41

I think your DH has the right attitude to this.

"He is pretty pissed off at the cheek of it but says its just a part of his job"

SofiaVagueara · 06/08/2013 09:46

YABU to be surprised or expect him not to go. Presumably as it is an agriculturally focused business early mornings are the norm as that's when the agricultural working day starts. Also for the extra work your husband puts in over the summer there will be less over the winter. Presumably you will also need the commission now to tide you over the winter.

The show will also be one of their biggest sales opportunities of the year so your husband will need to go and support it. It would be noticed and commented on if he didn't go. His colleague may be making his excuses but his card will be marked and next time redundancies come around that will be raised.

YANBU to be pissed off though. They have planned badly and been rude. Unfortunately they know that with the jobs market the way it is they can get away with doing this. It's crap, but that's the way it is at the moment.

MidniteScribbler · 06/08/2013 09:59

I would absolutely expect a trade show to be part of the job description of a sales rep and that includes setting up and packing up. It would be certainly be obvious if he doesn't attend.

Original poster

phantomhairpuller · 06/08/2013 10:07

As I've previously mentioned, he wouldn't even consider making up a bull-shit excuse, he's not that sort of chap.

He should have been on a stag do this weekend at the opposite end of the country but fortunately for him (as it turns out!) the date got changed to the following weekend. But what if it hadn't? He would have had a genuine prior arrangement yet would been reprimanded because of their piss poor organisation skills.

OP posts:

EasterHoliday · 06/08/2013 10:13

If he doesn't like it, there are many others who will. While they may h ave given short notice (has it really not been discussed before??), it's perfectly reasonable. Perhaps he can ask if they're giving a day off in lieu, which would also be quite normal.

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