Head of school I work for wants me to do cleaning to make up hours I can't do at mo

[babayjane67]

Hi all!
Sorry the titles bit long but couldn't think of a shorter one!
I work as a lunch time supervisor at my DDS school.we both went bk 3 wks ago as she's in yr6.i look after both her class bubbles,which is nearly the whole class of 29.
Anyway in normal times,I also do the breakfast club every day but obviously at the moment that's not possible.
When I went into work on Tues,the head caught me&said they're wanting to get everybody bk into school to make up for the hrs they're not working.one of the breakfast club girls is shielding so can't come bk but he's apparently talking to her about how it's going to work in September.
The other girl is coming bk on Mon being a lunch time supervisor for a new key worker kids bubble that will start.
He wants me to clean to make mine up.so all light switches,door handles,sinks in classrooms& toilets &all toilet seats throughout the school.desks too I think.
He said think about it&let me know tomorrow I'll come&find u.well he didn't though I did see him wandering round on Wed.i wasn't in yesterday as I've got a nasty ear infection at mo.we don't work Fridays as the kids only do half day so that a deep clean can be done of the school each week.
This morning I get an email detailing my cleaning schedule starting Mon&saying what equipment I will be using etc.not asking me if I wanna do it/have I thought about it&made a decision.no just this is yr schedule starting Mon let us know what side if the lunch time you want to do it.
I've got nothing against cleaning,I've been one as a job in the past.so I haven't got a problem with doing it as a job but I don't want to do it as fir a start I get asthma so that's why he said fir me to work with yr6 not the younger ones,as they can social distance better&they understand more.plus I really don't want to be cleaning their loo seats etc.Im not dealing with any little ones at mo in any capacity.ive got 2 GC the youngest being 4&I've had to keep away from them as he's got a low immune system as well as me with my asthma so I don't want to then be dealing with stuff like that where everyone sits,touches things&risk passing anything on.
My dp isn't happy about me doing either fir the same reasons&said he would have told the head no straight away!
I haven't replied to the email yet.
Aibu?

[LaurieMarlow]

I think you need to learn some manners

Straight talking can hurt, I get it.

[poppy1973]

I hope you have informed the HT that you are not going to do the cleaning otherwise they will be really annoyed Monday if you don't tell them. It's part of being a team player. If you don't do it then they can dock you your pay. Everyone is helping out at the moment in schools, as money is so tight. It's only for 2 weeks, just help out.

[AnnaBanana333]

Laurie, I hope you feel better about yourself one day so you don't need to be like this. I get it, but it won't be forever.

[sashagabadon]

@babayjane67

No I should try I don't feel down graded as I said I've been a cleaner before as a job.more than once in fact!.used to get up at 4.15 every morning to do cleaning job in council offices then did lunch time supervisor job then cleaning council offices again in the evening.
So like I said have nothing against cleaning!

Then what is your objection?
Cleaning is a vital job and as another pp has mentioned clinical staff in hospitals have been redeployed as bed buddies, hca's, porters and cleaners if they were not required in the own speciality.
I would do it if i were in your shoes.
It sounds like light cleaning duties to me

[TheSultanofPingu]

I'm a midday supervisor as well as a cleaner in the school. All midday supervisors are cleaning at lunchtime instead of supervising and we have just got on with it. I do the loos though as it's more in my job description. I do think you are being a little precious sorry, and it's only for a couple more weeks. For what it's worth, the teachers and ta's have been cleaning the flushers, door handles and sinks every time a child uses the toilet, do they are mucking in as well (with a bit of grumbling ).

These are strange times, it won't last forever.

[LaurieMarlow]

Jeez the defensiveness is quite something anna.

Do you need to talk about it?

[sashagabadon]

@AnnaBanana333

Is cleaning part of your normal duties? As in, do you clean the eating hall after lunchtimes or do you purely supervise the kids?

If yes then I think the head's plan is reasonable. If not then it isn't and I would speak to your union.

My job doesn't involve cleaning and like hell would I be cleaning toilets to make up hours.

Why are teachers constantly advised to go to their union over every tiny thing?
It's called team working and mucking in.

[Popc0rn]

@babayjane67

Well if you're not wearing PPE around the kids then that's riskier than cleaning. Yeah they're older and can socially distance a bit more than the younger kids, but some of them will have younger siblings, who are probably picking their classmates noses or whatever little kids do (), and they won't be socially distancing from their siblings at home. Their parents might be keyworker coming into close contact with multiple people every day.

So your reasoning that doing some cleaning puts you at a greater risk of covid is a bit off I think.

[Shesellsseashellsontheseashore]

I'm a teacher too. All staff, teachers and teaching assistants, in each bubble are expected to clean toilets, sinks and tables throughout the day. We also clean the floors and tables after lunch. It's not in my job description but it's just the way it is at the moment and will continue in September I'm sure.

[Popc0rn]

@Mintychoc1

Leave it to the magic NHS cleaning fairy

[Dauphinois]

Everyone in my school is cleaning. Everyone.

The world has changed a bit in the last 3 months if you haven't noticed.

Your HT is being perfectly reasonable but if you really won't do it you need to take a drop in pay.

[ivykaty44]

op ofactn mn you need to be very grateful for any job you've got, you may have applied and got an admin role but then if it changes to a cleaning role then just suck it up - that the opinion here

employment laws aren't based on opinion so visit your union rep or get in contact and get the actual facts on how you can be treated

rather than just doffing your cap and being grateful for the scraps

[Gazelda]

OP, are you prepared to take a drop in wages for the hours you're not working?

[Doggodogington]

Sounds a bit of a feeble excuse really. Either your family are vulnerable and shielding and you shouldn’t be working at all or they are not in which case you go into work and you muck in with the rest of the staff to get the kids through this difficult situation.

[phoenixearthworm]

@babayjane67

Thanks for yr replies.
He hasn't said anything about wages at all&I haven't thought to ask to be honest,stupidly.he took me really by surprise though!
We break up in 2 wks anyway&none if us HAD to go bk to work.same as the kids didn't HAVE. To go bk to school.plus I think he's been doing it himself the whole time if lockdown as the schools been open the whole time fir key workers kids.
Id be quite happy to work with one of the yr6 bubbles or KS2 bubbles in class to make up the hrs but I don't want to do the cleaning for the reasons I've mentioned.

@babayjane67 Who does the cleaning in your house?

[GrandAltogetherSo]

He’s a cheeky fucker all right.

Fact is, you can’t unilaterally change someone’s main job role, without their agreement. We’re not talking about the ‘extra duties as required’ as cleaning is normally undertaken by external staff.

Reply to the email with, I think you’ve sent this email to me by mistake.

[mumwon]

re pp about cleaning at night in care home - cleaning means you are not available for care which means their ratio of carers to patients (which is lower at night!) is off - good care homes don't expect this (dm was in care home & this was explained to me by their manager) although I can understand the extra need for wiping handles etc when actually caring for individual

[MrsNoah2020]

@ivykaty44

op ofactn mn you need to be very grateful for any job you've got, you may have applied and got an admin role but then if it changes to a cleaning role then just suck it up - that the opinion here

employment laws aren't based on opinion so visit your union rep or get in contact and get the actual facts on how you can be treated

rather than just doffing your cap and being grateful for the scraps

The OP's JD will probably say that she can be asked to undertake 'any other reasonable duties', or words to that effect. Any interpretation of 'Reasonable' is going to be somewhat subjective, and I imagine that an ET will take the view that 'reasonable' in the context of coronavirus is different from reasonable in other circumstances. So, yes, in normal circumstances, you probably wouldn't expect someone in an admin role to undertake cleaning but, at the moment, it's important for everyone's safety. It's not feasible to leave it all to cleaners, as they won't be on the premises throughout school hours. Asking other staff to pitch in with the cleaning helps to keep all the workforce, as well as the children, safe, so it's in everyone's interests.

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

You should have said no at the start, the delay has him assuming you'll do it.

Tell him now that you won't.

[babayjane67]

Phoenix I do all the cleaning in my house.its just the 3 of us using it all though.me,dp&DD.

[phoenixearthworm]

@babayjane67

Phoenix I do all the cleaning in my house.its just the 3 of us using it all though.me,dp&DD.

So it's not a problem then? If 30 children are using a toilet or 3 people then you don't use any extra chemicals each time you clean the toilet? We have two toilets for 40 children at work and it's no different to cleaning the toilet at home.

YABU.

[babayjane67]

Domdoes yes I should have said no straight away as my dp said he would have done but I was taken completely by surprise!
Then when he said he'd come&find me Wed after saying think about&see what you thibk,I thought ok I can just tell you then that's good but he didn't then I was out yesterday due to this bloody awful ear infection so haven't had chance to see him.
Then this morning I get the email.

[MrsNoah2020]

@GrandAltogetherSo

He’s a cheeky fucker all right.

Fact is, you can’t unilaterally change someone’s main job role, without their agreement. We’re not talking about the ‘extra duties as required’ as cleaning is normally undertaken by external staff.

Reply to the email with, I think you’ve sent this email to me by mistake.

Great idea. So then he has:

(a) an employee who can't be deployed to do her usual role (breakfast club) because it isn't happening, but who has refused an alternative
(b) a massive hole in his budget due to coronavirus

What do you think his next move will be? 🧐

[Cathy1984]

I am an LSA but am currently serving lunches and cleaning toilets. Unfortunately at the moment we are expected to do what's required to keep things running safely. However, I am in a position to do this safely. If you feel that your health is at risk then you should explain this to your head. The very least he can do is listen to your concerns. Good luck

[Spacecudet]

All teachers and TAs at my school are doing cleaning throughout the day on top of their normal roles. I would say do it, these are unusual times, and everyone needs to pitch in.