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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Boss says I have to work tonight or will face disciplinary.

484 replies

Partygal · 31/12/2019 10:51

Some of my colleagues are on here so have name changed.

I work in a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year job. Everyone has to take their turn at doing the shit shifts.

As I was off over Christmas last year, I willingly took my turn to work and did Christmas and Boxing Day. It suited me as I am going to a party tonight that I have been looking forward to a lot.

My colleague who was supposed to be working tonight sent me a text earlier today saying he can’t work tonight due to illness!!! (Yeah right!) He went on to say he was just giving me the heads up to block the manager’s number.

I thanked him and said no way was I working because I’ve done my time in work over Christmas.

Anyway my boss rang up as predicted - using someone else’s phone. She first asked why everyone seemed to have blocked her number, and asked if my colleague had already told me that he wasn’t going to work that night. I denied it.

She went on to say what I already knew that he won’t be at work tonight. I told her that I would not be covering. She says no one else she has managed to speak to, can get child care at such short notice and nor can she. According to her, “it has to be me.”

I still said no. She said she would try everyone else again, and threatened me with “consequences” if I turn my phone off. She has come back and has again said she can’t find anyone else to work. She says I will face a disciplinary if I don’t go in. I told her to go fuck herself. She has been texting repeatedly every since and has just told me that I will be fired for this.

Can she do this?

OP posts:
Emeraldshamrock · 31/12/2019 11:54

I wouldn't worry to much. She was letting off steam you got it as you answered the phone. I bet she was gunning.
Don't go in. Turn off your phone if necessary, you did not call in sick, anger is misdirected.
She'll realise she was out of order. Tbf I feel sorry for our team leader with certain staff in a 24 hour business. He is very professional I'd have a shit fit with flippant staff.

Original poster
Partygal · 31/12/2019 11:55

Nothing in my contract about providing last minute / emergency cover. I’m fine.

OP posts:
Biancadelrioisback · 31/12/2019 11:55

When I was a hotel manager I used to overstaff my departments on NYE because you knew some staff would "call in sick" or start drinking on shift and end up getting dismissed. Happened every year.
If one of my departments was short staffed I'd have to beg borrow and steal staff from other departments, but ultimately the responsibility fell to me, so if I couldnt get cover, guess who would be popping on a hairnet/scrubbing plates/serving dinner/pouring drinks/twinning beds/cleaning room etc.
And yes, swearing at eachother was incredibly common. Especially chefs and KPs.

GinDaddy · 31/12/2019 11:55

@Jupiters

But not atypical - the union will be going off "what can be proved in a tribunal" first, rather than anything that could actually help in terms of conciliation, where both sides would need to admit wrongdoing.

Ugh.

Acciocats · 31/12/2019 11:57

Sounds like a shit job with a shit boss. Surprised you care enough to post

Imfoaming · 31/12/2019 11:58

just because you swore at her doesn't mean you dont have a case so dont let that put you off. are you in a union? this is why I wont be on group chats at work etc etc, and you shouldn't be getting calls from work when youre off work

poppy289 · 31/12/2019 11:58

Forcing you to work on your day off because no one else will or can is bullying!! Again swearing at you via text is a form of bullying and has been used to intimidate you.

AngeloMysterioso · 31/12/2019 11:59

It’s too late now but for the future, set all calls to divert to VM instead of just blocking one number.

MsMellivora · 31/12/2019 12:02

I was a union rep for years and am disgusted your rep told you to lie. It’s the kind of reason I stopped doing it. The worst was when someone was facing a seriously disciplinary and she lied to me and at a meeting they brought up phone records in black and white that supported their case.

Just because other people swear doesn’t mean it ok for you.

Moominfan · 31/12/2019 12:02

Op even if your not potted I wouldn't want to work under a boss like that.

ReanimatedSGB · 31/12/2019 12:05

I used to be the manager for a job where 24/7 365 coverage was needed. It was extremely common for me to have to scrap my own plans and cover for people who were 'off sick'. But YANBU, OP. The person who is most in the wrong is the colleague who is leadswinging because they don't want to work NYE. Seconded by your manager, who blew any moral high ground by using a different phone number to harass you out of hours. As the manager, she is paid more than you which means its down to her to cover when there's no one else.

safariboot · 31/12/2019 12:05

YANBU

But the fact that in a 24/7 workplace, employees are routinely blocking the number of their manager, I'd say that's a symptom of a dysfunctional workplace. Possibly coming from that manager being so bad, possibly a wider toxic company culture.

KatherineJaneway · 31/12/2019 12:06

Am amused by all the pearl clutching. A naughty word ooh how unprofessional.

All the places I've worked, you'd get disciplined if not sacked for using that type of language. It is unprofessional.

catspyjamas123 · 31/12/2019 12:06

What sort of 24hrs a day 365 days a year job is it? Do people’s lives depend on it? An emergency service? Even so there should be a contingency plan for illnesses.

You won’t be in any more trouble than the rest of the team - except for the swearing.

Emeraldshamrock · 31/12/2019 12:07

She barged you, she is in the wrong, shecwas angry from the beginning of the call.
I hope your colleague unless they are really ill realise what they've caused.
We've one chap he hates the place, always calling in sick at the last minute, most if us just wish he'd leave or be sacked as it is his fellow colleagues constantly covering his workload. I know they say shit rolls from the top, you did not deserve this OP.
You done your Christmas shift fair is fair.
Put it out of your mind, it has been blown out of proportion. Have a good time later.
She is paid to be the boss let her get cover or do it herself.

ManonBlackbeak · 31/12/2019 12:08

Well in that case KatherineJaneway the ops boss should be sacked as well..

CareOfPunts · 31/12/2019 12:08

It would be unreasonable to discipline you for not being available to work at this short notice. Is she also disciplining everyone else who didn’t turn up?

However it may not be unreasonable for her to discipline you for telling her to fuck herself. My feet wouldn’t touch the ground if I said that to my boss!

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 31/12/2019 12:08

Fucking hell The amount on here who making an issue at the OP swearing at her boss after the boss swore at her via text

OP Yanbu . Is she also pissed off at those who blocked her/turned their mobiles off and are they going to also face discipline on their return?

bettybattenburg · 31/12/2019 12:10

@Partygal Yes but she can’t prove I swore at her. I can prove she used bad language to me in a text.

Not until you started a thread about on a forum where you admit that colleagues also use so they will have seen it - and perhaps even your boss who will undoubtedly recognise you.

Not the sharpest knive in the drawer are you? Biscuit

DinkyDaisy · 31/12/2019 12:10

It does sound an awful place to work, staff wise.
Do you email at work?
Does your boss have a boss you could copy in?
Saying something like -further to our communications, just reiterating that I have worked over Christmas and have plans for tonight and cannot work. All the best, etc...
But- copy your very reasonable email to bosses line manager.
And- maybe look for another job unless you think your boss on her way out anyway...

CareOfPunts · 31/12/2019 12:11

She can’t prove I swore at her, and I have been told to deny that I did

Jeezo. What kind of adviser tells someone to lie? That’s appalling. If someone did say that. I’d never risk my own job by telling someone to do that.

81Byerley · 31/12/2019 12:12

I used to work in what sounds like a similar job. Couldn't she get agency cover?

nowyoulistenheretaeme · 31/12/2019 12:13

We now have 5 people magically off this festive period. As they do for family events they can’t get off for, birthdays, gigs, big games etc.

Some of course may be genuine but we are all so bloody cynical about it now.

And if the colleague is pre warning people then in my mind they aren’t that sick.

When will people like this realise they are not fecking over their company but seriously shafting their colleagues?

Butchyrestingface · 31/12/2019 12:13

Not until you started a thread about on a forum where you admit that colleagues also use so they will have seen it - and perhaps even your boss who will undoubtedly recognise you.

I was thinking just that...

Of course, the ACAS advisor would vehemently deny he/she told OP to be mendacious.

Emeraldshamrock · 31/12/2019 12:14

Sounds like a shit job with a shit boss. Surprised you care enough to post
Well that was a bit ignorant. Maybe OP has outgoings each month to cover and needs a shit shift job to cover them the risk of facing a disciplinary could jeopardise her ability to y'know feed herself.

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