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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Situation at work....AIBU?

195 replies

se7enthings · 19/01/2018 10:10

Hello!
I work in a pub 10 hours a week whilst at university, the pay is crap but the hours fit in.

I am the youngest behind the bar age 23 and I feel as though I’m getting mugged off. I work with a 60 year old lady who knows everyone and constantly looks for conspiracy in the workplace, aka, someone’s stealing etc.

I am the only person out of both of us to clear up the glasses and lifting a heavy crate 70+ times a night has started taking its toll and I am suffering with what feels like an injury to my spine. I have asked several times for my colleague to help me and she does it once or twice then stops. She’ll stand next to me talking about how someone pissed her off and watch me clean up everyone’s glasses. She tells me to “hurry up as she wants to leave at 12:30” but stands talking to customers whilst I clean the bar, she moans she has a bad back and is under impression she does everything. Landlady not much use as only cares about profit not staff wellbeing.

Anyway, I don’t get sick pay, at all, and I’ve checked the rota and I won’t be able to take one of my holidays as others are off. I can’t cope with the pain, I’ve missed a day of uni and I’ve been up all night with it, AIBU to get a sick note for 2 weeks?

OP posts:
RowenasDiadem · 19/01/2018 10:14

You need to leave ASAP. And tell them why. Tell the landlady that the other staff member is just standing round chatting leaving all the work to you and you're hurting yourself doing it all. There are always bar jobs going and they're easier to get with experience which you now have.

LIZS · 19/01/2018 10:14

There should be a risk assessment for any lifting and carrying required. Have you been shown how to handle these crates correctly? Trouble with back injuries is that you can't assess their duration or if they are likely to recur easily. Can you see a gp or better still a physio. If you go off sick be prepared to lose your job. Could you work but not lift for the timebeing?

letsdolunch321 · 19/01/2018 10:15

Leave the job asap.

Isadora2007 · 19/01/2018 10:16

YANBU but you need to talk to your boss. It’s only 10 hours a week so shouldn’t be having such a negative impact on your health and life. You shouldn’t be asked to do heavy lifting without appropriate equipment or training. The colleague situation isn’t really a big deal I don’t think, but if she isn’t fit to help you out and do her job then they need to employ someone who can.

Speak to your boss. Write a list and focus on the main points and not the gossip.

hellsbellsmelons · 19/01/2018 10:17

Go to your GP and get a note saying you are not able to do any heavy lifting for the next 2 weeks.
Present it to your boss and see what she has to say about it.
Are there other pubs in the area you could work at instead?
You have some experience now so it should be easier.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 19/01/2018 10:17

Just quit. And tell them why. Find another bar job in a place that doesn't take the piss.

Original poster
se7enthings · 19/01/2018 10:18

Never had a risk assessment, never had any training on how to lift, asked my boss if I could change my days so I could work with someone else the answer was no.

I do not know why 10 hours is having such a horrendous impact on me, maybe because through that time I’m constantly bending and lifting (probably incorrectly)

OP posts:
cantucciniamaretto · 19/01/2018 10:18

I would have thought that in any job with a bit of lifting the 23 year old would be expected to do it, and not the near pensioner with a bad back? It would be in any job i ever had, and if it wasn't I would be volunteering anyway. wouldn't anyone?

if you aren't lifting properly and have hurt yourself, thats a different matter.

nikkylou · 19/01/2018 10:19

Is the other lady full time? Maybe she does feel like she does everything and having someone else around for a whole 10 hours feels like a much more relaxing shift where she has the opportunity to make friends with the regulars etc.? However, if you don't like it, the pay is crap and your health is suffering just leave. You're at uni and if your uni work is suffering then that kinda defeats the whole purpose of you being there. Getting a sick note isn't gonna make it better and it's hardly like you're going to get any pay for being off. Put your efforts into finding a new part time roll. See your student union for vacancies. I worked at my su bar which was awesome

Original poster
se7enthings · 19/01/2018 10:20

That may be the case, but because of my age I’m expected to shit shift whilst she gets an easy ride? It should be halved between us.

OP posts:
Original poster
se7enthings · 19/01/2018 10:20

The woman I work with does the same days as me

OP posts:
CheapSausagesAndSpam · 19/01/2018 10:22

Really? You're expecting a 60 year old woman to do half that lifting?

What you need to say is that you need more staff. Where's the manager? What are they doing?

Every pub job I've had, they've usually had a male on board who has done most of or all lifting.....

ladyme · 19/01/2018 10:22

Take it from the old crones of MN, it's not worth ending up with damage to your back as that could last forever - sack it in and tell them why! You'll get another job easily!

Allthewaves · 19/01/2018 10:23

You'd be better working in a shop at weekends or late night Thursday

cantucciniamaretto · 19/01/2018 10:24

but because of my age I’m expected to shit shift whilst she gets an easy ride?

Yes.

It should be halved between us
Why? She's there a lot longer than you, yes? She's senior to you. You've probably been employed specifically to do the lifting and carrying for her.

When did young people get so whiny? I worked in bars at your age, it would never even have occurred to me to complain that someone my grannys age wasn't lifting as many crates as me!

shushpenfold · 19/01/2018 10:24

Tell your work now that you have hurt your back due to all all the heavy manual handling you’re doing at work. Make sure you tell them in writing (evidence) and also tell them of your unwilling colleague also. Go to a GP and tell them the issue (evidence) and see what they say. They may sign you off for a time or give you a Statement of Fitness for Work which may have amended duties on it....you can do the bar work but with no lifting. Your employee will have to make the changes and if they then do something daft like fire you, you have timeline evidence of no training, bad work practice, medical report, telling employer and then firing.

Handsfull13 · 19/01/2018 10:25

I worked in a pub for years and I know exactly what you mean.
I would expect the person you work with to do the lifting equally and if they can't then they shouldn't have that job or you should be compensated for doing extra.
If your landlady will do nothing then I would quit. Unless you really need the job to keep you going I would give it up and look for something else. 10 hours a week is enough to do permanent damage to your body

TsunamiOfShit · 19/01/2018 10:26

When did young people get so whiny?

Probably when their employers decided against giving them proper lifting training? Why should anyone damage their back for many someone else profit?

Original poster
se7enthings · 19/01/2018 10:26

I’m employed as a barmaid not a cleaner. I started in January 2015 she started the February so not really. I’m not employed to lift shit? I’m not bothered about physical work, just don’t see why it’s different rules for different people

I won’t go into the reason why young people “got whiny”

OP posts:
Ellendegeneres · 19/01/2018 10:26

First off, at 60, she’s not a pensioner.

Second, op please take advice from this thread. I got repetitive strain injury from lifting my own child, had to have my wrist in a brace for weeks. That was hell having to care for two dc, one a newborn.
Now I have many (all the ones they scanned) prolapsed discs in my back, arthritis and sciatica. Trust me, you don’t want to get to your thirties and discover you’re permanently disabled because you’ve damaged your spine. I suffer pain every day, sometimes struggle to get up. Moving hurts.
Personally I’d speak to boss, tell her that if the situation isn’t rectified I’d be leaving. You should have had training to show you how to lift safely, clearly this isn’t a safe working environment for you. I’d be looking at leaving and getting bar work elsewhere

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 19/01/2018 10:27

It sounds ropey but you put up with it all just because "the hours fit in".Read back what you've written, is it worth it? Like others say, you have gained experience now look elsewhere.

shushpenfold · 19/01/2018 10:28

Cantucci...this isn’t how H&S works. The OP has had no training and is clearly experiencing difficulties with the weight and frequency of lifting being expected. The older colleague may be in the same boat; being unable to lift the same but in that case the employer should have other arrangements in place and not then ruin someone else’s (young) back instead. From the outside I would say that the employer has left themselves open to a big fat slam dunk claim.

cantucciniamaretto · 19/01/2018 10:29

Probably when their employers decided against giving them proper lifting training? Why should anyone damage their back for many someone else profit?

Lifting training, ffs. Bend your knees and pick the fucker up. Lifting training wasn't a thing when i was lugging crates of beer around the place!

Whiny whiny whin.

Original poster
se7enthings · 19/01/2018 10:29

I’m not very assertive tbh and I struggle asking for help. I’ve tried she just moans

OP posts:
Slapdasherie · 19/01/2018 10:30

How bizarre!

Do people really expect a 60 year old woman to match a 23 yo in physical work?