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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU Christmas and retail

298 replies

ItsaTenfromDen · 21/11/2016 13:35

I work in retail, yes this is my choice at the moment, would dearly love another job, but so far this is proving hard to find.

AIBU to be annoyed by someones desire to go shopping on Boxing Day? I will be up at 4.30 and opening at 6am. What can anyone possibly need at 6am on Boxing Day? We don't sell medicine or food!

I appreciate that Doctors and Nurses and other professions have to work, but I see that as a necessary park of their job. People need medical attention every day.

Even if I didn't work in retail I would never think of going shopping on Boxing Day, I've seen enough of the shops in the run up to Christmas.

OP posts:
Eevee77 · 21/11/2016 23:51

I really don't think anyone cares to go shopping on Boxing Day but the retail world hype it up and make people think they'll miss out if they don't go. Shut all the shops and nobody would care IMO.

Lorelei76 · 22/11/2016 00:57

Wurly, I was hoping shop staff would realise the headphones are off as I am talking with them and smiling? I know it sounds weird but usually I have work bag and gym bag over shoulder, the on/ off switch for headphones is right where my hand is over the bag straps. Combine hood, hair etc and it's just so much easier to flick the switch than actually take them out at which point id get them tangled up in all of those things....

Still don't get people refusing to put money in the hand of the retail worker...?

Twogoats · 22/11/2016 04:43

Growing up, our dad worked every Boxing Day (he was forced to), meaning he had to go to bed early on xmas day and he couldn't have a few drinks!

It sucked! We wanted out dad with us! Sad

BarbaraofSeville · 22/11/2016 08:03

Re. Boxing day sales. I'm currently listening to the Mary Whitehouse experience on radio 4 podcasts from 1990. It is hilariously dated, being topical comedy from over 25 years ago, but the theme from the episode I have just listened to was shopping and they said the post Christmas sales started on December 27th.

NathanBarleyrocks · 22/11/2016 09:11

I would go as far as to say I think shops should be shut every Sunday - as they always used to. Not for religious reasons. Just to have a day when most people have a day off. Life is short.

Aworldofmyown · 22/11/2016 09:43

lougle I do sympathies, work over xmas is rubbish.

However, and correct me if I'm wrong! I'm quite sure you get paid more than minimum wage, you probably also get unsociable hours and bank holiday extras. Plus, if you wanted to go away one year you could request the time of? Or you work the shifts out with your colleagues fairly - EVERY member of staff is not expected to work the whole of December and first two weeks in January.

Thats the difference. I don't expect shops will close again on Boxing Day (remember this is a recent thing) I just don't think its fair that all retail workers are now destined to NEVER be allowed christmas eve or boxing day off - thats the reality of many of these stores.

Aworldofmyown · 22/11/2016 09:43

sympathise!

AChristmasCactus · 22/11/2016 12:26

Ahhh the "I know my rights" brigade has turned up in the form of Shopper. Just because you really want a thing does not make it a "right".

Lorelei76 · 22/11/2016 12:55

I would be surprised if nurses get extra. I hope they do but I doubt it.

sterlingcooper · 22/11/2016 12:57

I quite enjoy a spot of Boxing Day shopping sometimes, but even I can't imagine who would want to go shopping at 6am. I think shorter opening hours, like 10am-4pm would be reasonable for most shops. I guess supermarkets are a bit different though.

Aworldofmyown · 22/11/2016 13:03

lorelei my brother did, but that may have changed since he left the NHS.

Supermarkets never used to open on Boxing Day either. Like other posters I remember having to go and buy 'the fresh stuff' like milk and cream on christmas eve so it hadn't miraculously expired in the fridge by the 27th!!!

Im a child of the late 80's early 90's, so not that long ago.

Twogoats · 22/11/2016 13:06

Ffs, it's not about the 'time and a half' or whatever the extra pay is, it's about giving non-essential workers a decent Xmas!

As a 5-year old, it upset me that my dad wasn't there to play with me on Boxing Day. I didn't give a shit about extra pay and neither did he! Angry

HelenaDove · 22/11/2016 13:11

YY AWorld im going to take a guess that care assistants who work in care homes can book a weeks hol in e.g. late Nov, early Dec if they want but retail workers are often told that they cant book any time off from late Oct through to Jan.

Coupled with the fact that many retail workers are only getting 15 hours for their Christmas (someone posted that they were interviewed for Next and told they would be finishing at midnight on Christmas Eve and back in at 3 am on Boxing Day) it seems to me that care workers are getting the better deal even though they may have to work on Christmas Day.

This would never have even been thought let alone said 10 to 15 years ago.

Graphista · 22/11/2016 13:17

Aworld - honestly most retail workers are on nmw, don't get higher rate of pay for unsocial hours (frankly there's no such thing as far as their employers are concerned), or bank holidays (if Monday is a day you normally work tough), most do put a blanket leave ban in place for 6 weeks, even getting holiday within the rest of the year requires jumping through hoops! Especially if you want leave over a bank holiday (even one as minor as say May Day). Retail workers are treated appallingly.

My mums had cancer, upon returning to work she was placed on a disciplinary scheme for having the time off I shit you not!

2 friends were treated dreadfully upon becoming pregnant, including being expected to do heavy lifting, being on feet all day even in late stages of pregnancy.

It needs a serious overhaul in terms of employee rights PLUS they often don't adhere to even current laws. Because they're often such huge companies they can afford to be sued even if the ruling goes against them, and government fines are a drop in the ocean compared to the profits they're making.

HelenaDove · 22/11/2016 13:20

In the same job that i posted about upthread where i was treated quite badly and hypocritically and someone went through my bag and threw the contents around the staffroom i didnt go in on the Boxing Day. I called in sick.

Twogoats BD was the only day DB had contact time with his daughter over Christmas so it was the only time i would have seen my then 9 year old niece.

Coupled with the way they had treated me it was a no brainer.

Graphista · 22/11/2016 13:21

I've worked retail and nursing. In nursing I didn't get extra pay (as far as I can recall it was a while ago) for bank holidays etc, but there wasn't leave bans, there was negotiation regarding if you worked Christmas you weren't expected to work new year and vice versa (although it was assumed people with young children 'should' get Christmas off and those without kids 'should' get new year which wasn't necessarily what employees wanted). This was true for me both nhs and private employers (nursing homes).

Plus to be honest nursing everyone knows is needed all the time, the ability to shop really isn't.

ginauk84 · 22/11/2016 13:29

Never understand people shopping on Boxing Day, it's a relaxing day at home for me.

HelenaDove · 22/11/2016 13:32

Graphista i experienced that attitude in retail Told i couldnt nip to the GP surgery for my contraceptive injection. It has to be done when its due. And as my day off kept changing i couldnt have pre booked it anyway.

People with kids were allowed to run out of shop with no notice though ...................one time because her husband couldnt collapse a buggy.

Then there was the attitude towards my DH who was ill But because he wasnt a child it was intimated that he was a malingerer. (im now his full time carer) but if a child was ill it wasnt questioned.

I remember sarcastically asking a then colloeugue precisely at what age does a workers genuine illness stop and malingering begin.

Also just because someone is childfree doesnt mean they are a pisshead (im teetotal) Used to really piss me off.

HelenaDove · 22/11/2016 13:34

Sorry i meant "at what age does a workers realatives genuine illness stop and malingering begin"

estateagentfromhell · 22/11/2016 13:54

Who exactly should pay for this 'fully paid time off'/'reduced hours' etc?

I think we need to remind ourselves that these measures would seriously hit the profit margin of these retailers, who form a big chunk of the blue chip investment opportunities for pension funds etc.

A lot of people seem to think the shareholders in these big retailers are cartoon fatcats, smoking big cigars and rubbing their hands in avaricious glee when in actual fact they are, to a large extent, pension funds, who serve the man in the street.

I'm sure all the people calling for additional paid time off for retail workers would be the first to complain if their pension/endowment fell short, or the state pension age were to be pushed back another year due to poorly performing funds.

Incidentally, the State could really do with winding its neck in on this subject. If people want to shop, it isn't the role of the state to prevent them.

HelenaDove · 22/11/2016 14:02

Where are the posts asking for additional paid time off I havent seen any.

Graphista the way your mum was treated stinks Thanks

estate you think retail workers who want more than a 15 hour Christmas are asking for additional paid time off You do realise that gaslighting doesnt work when its the written word dont you?

Graphista · 22/11/2016 14:13

I don't think anyone said they expected to be paid for boxing fm day if they're not working it.

Philip green was mentioned (in sarcasm) upthread, but he's fairly typical of the retail owner level and they ARE rolling in it. They're hardly on their uppers or even thinking altruistically.

Reduced hours overall would increase employment. Therefore increasing income tax payments and NI income.

As for state being TOO involved? Again - Philip green - he's not been dealt with at all!

Even the laws that already exist are rarely enforced.

Helena thanks it was rotten treatment, even the manager hated doing it but it was company policy (major supermarket).

Debinaround · 22/11/2016 14:27

Aye, bet Philip Green isn't picking clothes up off the floor and getting abused by customers on Boxing Day. More like sitting on his yacht sunning himself.

Graphista · 22/11/2016 14:32

Exactly debin and he won't be the only retail Ceo enjoying Boxing Day at his own pleasure.

FairyDogMother11 · 22/11/2016 14:44

I work in a restaurant/pub chain and I have worked the previous two years on Christmas day. It's double pay but usually ridiculous shifts which are hardly worth going in for. We're closed this year, so rather than working Christmas day, I'll be working the late on Christmas Eve and the early on Boxing Day, and no doubt the early on New Years Day as usual as they can't trust most of the staff to turn up sober or even at all. Christmas Day is the only day we get double pay; the other "special days" are like any other. Tips where we are are virtually non existent even on Christmas day, so there's not even that perk. We are only allowed unpaid time off in December and no one is allowed to book New Year off, it's just a case of you get what you're given. I do enjoy my job but our opening hours are long and on Boxing Day, for us, it's usually really quiet so you've got all these staff at work when they could be at home with their families.