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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think this is pretty shit of my workplace?

66 replies

fedupofficeworker · 03/08/2016 21:41

I've nc for this because it will out me completely.

I work in the head office of a very well known company, but it's frankly a bit of a craphole. Some of the lifts don't work (not a problem for me, but a real issue for staff with mobility issues, as they have to walk further to access lifts, or struggle with stairs) and haven't for 6+ months. The toilets stink, don't flush properly and are often blocked (when we complained, facilities sent instructions on how to flush the toilet Hmm). On our floor we have 3 toilets for over 100 women. Our hot drinks machine (no kettles, it's all vending machines), break once a week because of overuse (1 machine for nearly 200 people) when we complain we're told they're looking into ordering a new one.

The floors in the office are never vacuumed and desks never cleaned. Allegedly this is because there's 'stuff' on our desks. How difficult is it for cleaners just to wipe them, even once a week?!

The last straw today was when a chair broke in half (back just came off and fell on the floor) when a pregnant colleague was sat on it. Luckily she wasn't too hurt, and baby was fine. But this isn't the first time chairs have fallen apart. Facilities were contacted and said they'd look into it. By 5pm nothing had been done.

It's shit isn't it? The business spends millions on advertising and we're sat on broken chairs. No unions, there's an employee group but they have no power. I'm sick of working like this, it's now dangerous not just unsanitary. But the message is always it has to be left to faculties etc, except they never DO anything!

OP posts:
CatNip2 · 03/08/2016 22:31

Do you work for Sky? Can't be EE, I don't think. If it is let me know and I will point you in the right direction.

fedupofficeworker · 03/08/2016 22:34

No cash flow issues, public company. The chief exec is v well paid. He's never been to our part of the building though.

OP posts:
Tartyflette · 03/08/2016 22:38

BT? Can you afford to buy some shares? (And attend the next shareholders' meeting?)

GrassW1dow · 03/08/2016 22:39

Our lifts might as well not work.....in the morning, the volume of people is so great you sometimes wait up to 10 minutes to get into a lift!

All that man power wasted.......

VaginaJones · 03/08/2016 22:40

Please join a Union and encourage your colleagues to do so. My union have just been able to negotiate much better working conditions and facilities for staff in our company.

ParadiseCity · 03/08/2016 22:41

All the sensible people are right about unions. I came on to say become a secret tweeter. But Union idea much better.

CatNip2 · 03/08/2016 22:43

If it's BT then it's not true as I have worked there 30 years and ten years in Facilities,, the CWU has been the Union for the entire time of my employment. I have worked in 5 buildings in various cities and visited many many more and never in any of that time had an office environment like that. Building faults are not reported through email.

Give us a clue OP.

Weedles · 03/08/2016 22:44

Call Your local authority environmental health department - you don't have enough toilets. Info HERE

If it's just a nomal office then it's the LA's responsibility not the HSE

DeathpunchDoris · 03/08/2016 22:47

...clean your own desk?

DespicableMeh · 03/08/2016 22:47

Does it have a furry rodent as the company mascot?

fedupofficeworker · 03/08/2016 22:48

It's not BT, or Sky. It's an insurance co, that's as much as I feel comfortable saying.

I will speak to colleagues tomorrow about contacting HSE. The chairs is the main concern. The dirt, lack of clean loos, lack of hot drinks is all pretty shit but not as bad.

OP posts:
MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 03/08/2016 22:50

If you are EE then the employee voice groups created by Orange could easily be unionised if there are enough people willing to do this (I wrote a paper about this once upon a time!).

However in this instance the quickest way to get this resolved is probably to raise a collective grievance to the line manager (or whatever the process is). This means that it's not just coming from you but is signed by everyone.

Alternatively if it's really dangerous report them to the HSE. Workplace health and safety has not just civil liabilities but also criminal - so it's a big deal.

I do think you should have a clear desk policy then the cleaners can clean. Sounds grim.

CatNip2 · 03/08/2016 22:52

Ahhhh compare the meerkat then or direct line? You are not in the shitty building on the Headrow in Leeds are you? Ok Ok I'll stop asking now, sorry.

SomeDaysIDontGiveAMonkeys · 03/08/2016 22:57

Hmmmmm that bakery company or Go Compare would be my guess...

fedupofficeworker · 03/08/2016 22:57

We do have a clear desk policy. Overnight nothing is on desks other than a few pens (some people have pen tidies, others don't), maybe a stapler, and a few people have 1 framed photo, or a thank you/ congrats card. That's all there is (apart from monitor, keyboard and mouse), we're not allowed to have anything else on our desks - the line about there being too much stuff on there was just bs.

OP posts:
Sillybillybonker · 03/08/2016 22:58

Is there not a union?

SomeDaysIDontGiveAMonkeys · 03/08/2016 22:58

Oh cross post. Definitely not on whoever it is you're working for.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 03/08/2016 23:00

Oh dear. Definitely raise a collective grievance.

If it's a call centre then CWU (Communication Workers Union) is often a good one to join. You don't have to have a collective bargaining agreement in place to join a union. Your employer cannot lawfully prevent you or your colleagues joining a union.

Rainbow · 03/08/2016 23:14

Definitely HSE, especially as a pregnant woman hurt herself because a chair broke.

Definitely join a union. Find one here
worksmart.org.uk/tools/union-finder

Weedles · 03/08/2016 23:16

It NOT HSE its your local authority who is responsible. (Assuming it's a normal office)

blondieblondie · 03/08/2016 23:23

Weedles What do you mean by a "normal office"?

HelenaDove · 03/08/2016 23:26

Confused.com?

HelenaDove · 03/08/2016 23:27

shit i didnt know that would happen............turn into a link like that.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 03/08/2016 23:27

Sorry Weedles is quite right. It's most likely not HSE (I have been working a lot with schools recently who are covered by HSE) but local authority.

Full details here: www.hse.gov.uk/contact/authority.htm

Weedles · 03/08/2016 23:42

Copy and pasted..

Is HSE the correct enforcing authority for you?

This page lists the type of workplaces HSE is responsible for and those where Local Authorities have responsibility. It also lists some other enforcing authorities (eg for food, environment and railways) you may find useful.

HSE’s responsibilities
HSE is responsible for enforcing health and safety at workplaces including:

factories
farms
building sites
mines
schools and colleges
fairgrounds
gas, electricity and water systems
hospitals and nursing homes
central and local government premises
offshore installations
Local authorities
You should contact your local authority environmental health department if you have a query about the following type of premises:

offices (except government offices)
shops
hotels
restaurants
leisure premises
nurseries and playgroups
pubs and clubs
museums (privately owned)
places of worship
sheltered accommodation and care homes