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AIBU?

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Original poster

Discriminatory comment from colleague

56 replies

monkeysox · 11/03/2021 07:28

My employer (school) is making one (male full time) staff member redundant following consultation as that dept is over staffed.

I work part time in another dept. A male colleague actually said to me " no disrespect to you but how many part timers so they have, I'd have got rid of those of it was me"

I kept my cool and said he was wrong. School get good value from part time staff.
Me and another experiencwd. (female) colleague job share and neither of us would have applied to teach full time. No other applicants were interviewed when we were employed.

His comment was extremely out of order wasn't it or AIBU?

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 11/03/2021 07:30

Its certainly ignorant on his part. I’d point out that the redundancy process was fair - assuming it was - and that if he’s got any complaints about it speak to the governors.

Carolina24 · 11/03/2021 07:31

Yanbu, that was very rude and inappropriate.

Hidinginstaircupboard · 11/03/2021 07:33

Yes HWBU and discriminatory

People give away that they're about to say something rude and stupid when they start a sentence with "No disrespect to you but..."

It is same as saying
"I'm not being racist/sexist/ageist but ....... (then insert racist/sexist/ageist statement!)"

I hope your male colleague doesn't end up HoY or a HM, until he does that HR course on ADP

stablefeet · 11/03/2021 07:39

It wasn't discriminatory, there was no mention of the fact that the part-timers are female and he didn't even insinuate it. Honestly, I think it's a pretty pathetic time if someone who's just been made redundant can't say what he did. Regardless of the redundancy process, he just "spoke his truth" which was to say that he thought a different course of action would have been fairer.

Motherissues2020 · 11/03/2021 07:45

But stablefeet he would have chosen other people because they were part time. That would discriminate against part time workers male or female. He didn't say, I thought it should be someone else because they aren't good at their job. He went with "I'd have got rid of one of those part timers."

Be glad he's not in a position to make those kinds of decisions OP. I think I'd have to make some sort of comment because he shouldn't think people who work part time are somehow less committed or less good at their jobs.

Lochmorlich · 11/03/2021 07:49

Your reply was correct although I would have added that on the contrary his remark was disrespectful and ignorant too.

Liquorishtoffee · 11/03/2021 07:52

People are often prats about part time staff. It’s almost as if they are being paid full time and are skiving off.

beelzeboob · 11/03/2021 07:55

I don’t think I would say his comment was “extremely out of order”
I would say it was a bit out of order

Hidinginstaircupboard · 11/03/2021 07:59

@stablefeet

It wasn't discriminatory, there was no mention of the fact that the part-timers are female and he didn't even insinuate it. Honestly, I think it's a pretty pathetic time if someone who's just been made redundant can't say what he did. Regardless of the redundancy process, he just "spoke his truth" which was to say that he thought a different course of action would have been fairer.
I read it as a different male colleague who said it to the one being made redundant

And yes it is discriminatory to target part timers for redundancy over FT workers.

Part timers are disproportionately women due various reasons. HR will tell you this.

Male colleague was being inappropriate in his comment

AliceLives2021 · 11/03/2021 08:02

@stablefeet

It wasn't discriminatory, there was no mention of the fact that the part-timers are female and he didn't even insinuate it. Honestly, I think it's a pretty pathetic time if someone who's just been made redundant can't say what he did. Regardless of the redundancy process, he just "spoke his truth" which was to say that he thought a different course of action would have been fairer.
This

He didn't say it was because he was male. He just thought part timers should lose their positions over full timers!

Everything isn't discriminatory/racist/transphobe etc

RampantIvy · 11/03/2021 08:05

From a finance point of view the school will be making far more savings by offloading a full time member of staff.

arethereanyleftatall · 11/03/2021 08:08

Whilst I don't agree with his opinion, I don't think there's anything discriminatory about it. I would have got rid of the worst teacher. His opinion is to get rid of the teachers that cause twice the admin for one role.

Original poster
monkeysox · 11/03/2021 08:10

@Hidinginstaircupboard
This is right.

I read it as a different male colleague who said it to the one being made redundant

All and any part time teaching staff at my work place are female. Should have clarified that.

OP posts:
HummusAndCarrotSticks · 11/03/2021 08:14

He sounds like he is lashing out because he has been let go. Understandable, but don't use your colleagues as your punching bag pal!

And it may be indirectly discriminatory, as, women tend to bear most of the load for caring responsibilities and thus are more likely to work part time. They are also likely to make less money, either because they have taken time out for caring responsibilities or because their employer has assumed they will and been reluctant to progress them. So, if the choice comes up for them or their male dp, (if they have one), to go part time to take up caring responsibilities, chances are they will choose for the better paid partner, (statistically more likely to be the man), to keep working full time. And so the cycle continues!

YANBU.

krankykittykat · 11/03/2021 08:19

He was being opinionated and not discriminatory in the slightest. God turbid a make have an opinion on anything and their abusive, narcassistic, gaslighting someone or discriminating

EarringsandLipstick · 11/03/2021 08:22

His comment was extremely out of order wasn't it or AIBU?

It's a foolish comment, not very well-thought out.

But not discriminatory, or all that terrible. It's his opinion, you disagreed & provided yours. The end.

You're over-reacting with 'I kept my cool' -why did you even need to worry about keeping your cool?

In my role I manage a medium-sized team with a number of part-time staff. From a management perspective, part-time staff are much more challenging (not due to the individual) because of work patterns influencing how projects can be assigned / progressed etc, organising meetings etc. But that's my sector, probably different in a school.

Nonetheless I obviously don't make comments about it, as p/t working is a fact of life in workplaces.

Whocares2021 · 11/03/2021 08:30

As a part timer I definitely get the feeling from other’s that you have less worth at work and I feel like that’s what he’s saying here. When any one (and it is mostly men) say anything to me about having time ‘off’ I tell them they too can go part time and look after 2 children on his his days ‘off’.

Lalliella · 11/03/2021 08:34

Rude and discriminatory. Plus I hate the expression “got rid of” in those situations. These are people not bags of rubbish being talked about. Your colleague is a twat.

foxhat · 11/03/2021 08:42

It's indirect discrimination to females plus arrogant and naïve. I hope he never gets into a position of any power.

EvenMoreFuriousVexation · 11/03/2021 08:42

Thanks for clarifying OP, as I thought the colleague facing redundancy was the one who made the comment.

Yes, his remark was discriminatory towards part timers but clearly he has no decision-making power so your reply was spot on and no further action needed. You now know he's a tit who doesn't value the work of part timers.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 11/03/2021 08:45

Good job its not you then.

WoolieLiberal · 11/03/2021 09:28

I would be wary of reporting him for making a comment like this.

We’re living in a culture of fear at the moment where no-one can express an opinion without risking their jobs, it seems.

We’re now asked to look what’s behind the opinion expressed too when there may be a variety of interpretations.

Yes, this could have been a sexist comment, but it could also have been from the point of view that a full timer (male or female) is likely to be the main breadwinner when a part timer might not be.

emilyfrost · 11/03/2021 09:32

The comment was neither out of order nor discriminatory. He said his opinion, you said you’re.

emilyfrost · 11/03/2021 09:33

*yours

Brefugee · 11/03/2021 09:52

Meh he was saying what he thinks. But AFAIK part timers are proportionately more expensive to employ. Although studies usually show they are good value for money, so swings and roundabouts.

I've only worked with a few part-time staff and they were a massive PITA for the rest of the team as they were extremely inflexible (mostly about childcare so I understand but I often wonder what they thought the FT employees did about childcare). The rest of the team had to pick up a lot of slack and did all the (unpaid) overtime for month-end closing etc.
As I'd fought very hard for them to be able to work PT I had to hear all the complaints about that. Mostly they were pretty efficient though