To be pissed off with my manager

[OnTheFirstDayOfChristmas]

I work for the local council and have to wear a uniform. I've been asking since Christmas for a spare pair of trousers as I've only got one pair and I do 37 hours in 3 days so can't wash and dry them between shifts.
In early February they agreed that they would get me a second pair as a matter of urgency. It's now nearly 2 months later and I'm still waiting.

Today my period started early and very heavily while I was at work. I was in quite a mess by the time I got to a toilet. I called my manager to tell him what had happened and to ask what I should wear tomorrow.

I asked if I could go home as I wasn't comfortable spending the last hour of my shift in bloody trousers, but the answer was no. Am I being unreasonable to think that in the circumstances I should have been allowed home an hour early?
Sorry it's long but I'm really annoyed that my manager thought it was ok for me to carry on in a mess.

So sorry for you that's awful and your managers a p....

That’s aweful. Must admit I wouldn’t have asked I would have just said I need to leave.

Yes you should be annoyed / upset by this. Could you raise it as a grievance? Follow the councils protocol for complaints so this is dealt with fairly.

I too would have informed them that I had to leave.

As a side not, are you claiming the tax back for laundering your own uniform?
www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/uniforms-work-clothing-and-tools

I would be wearing my own trousers every second day too until they give you a second pair. It is unreasonable to ask you to wear a uniform you do not have time to launder after each wear.

That is awful. There must be a dignity at work policy? I went above my managers head when he was being entirely unreasonable about something that involved personal hygiene. He now has to have weekly HR meetings to check up on him.

Grossly unreasonable of the manager. Also grossly unreasonable to be provided with obviously insufficient uniform. I agree with PP that you should complain. Absolutely unacceptable. YANBU.

I'm not saying you should have to do this but are they bland enough that you could buy a spare pair from M&S and nobody could tell?

God how awful!

Did you go home? I hope your manager is fired for this, definitely should never be allowed to manage women ever again. I'm so sorry.

Put in a grievance. In fact, put in two. Firstly because they won't supply you w adequate uniform, secondly for making you work in bloody trousers.

Seems like your employers need a rocket up them.

If your manager is unreasonable about this and getting the trousers (which to be fair means raising a purchase order and putting an order in), I’d ensure I was in the union - primarily because it doesn’t bode well for if anything big happens.

I’d also talk directly to HR about the issue, you could absolutely put a grievance in, but what do you want to get out of it? The most you’ll get is a sorry and the manager talking to, but it can be a lot of grief to go through it - balance it up as to whether you want to do it. But to write informally to HR and ask for a copy to be out on your file so that if you do have a similar problem it’s easy to evidence for a more formal procedure.

Yes, absolutely complain, your manager sounds rubbish
What job do you do? I have 2 pairs of work trousers and wear one pair for 2 days and one pair for 3 days. I work in a nursery so get very messy but have never felt the need for clean trousers every day

What have you decided to do OP?