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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have refused to clean it up?

190 replies

SickOfRoses · 18/12/2021 08:48

I’m a cleaner. Got to work yesterday and other members of staff kept following me around - they ultimately recorded me going into the men’s toilets. On the floor was wet torn up toilet roll, toilet roll “balls” splattered on the walls, toilet roll slung all over the toilet and what appeared to be shit smeared all over the toilet and floor (turned out to be chocolate syrup). There was also an elf on the floor holding an empty toilet roll tube.

The other staff members were in hysterics recording my reaction. I didn’t see the funny side at all and walked out suggesting they clean up their mess so I could get on with my job. In my defence I didn’t feel that well to start with, hadn’t slept well and had slipped on the way into work and hurt my hip.

I was called a misery, reminded that it was Christmas and told to lighten up. They have now uploaded the video of my reaction to Facebook and it has been shared twice already and I’m worried it will end up going “viral”. I have asked them to remove it and will be going to management if they don’t.
Am I being unreasonable??

OP posts:
RandomMess · 18/12/2021 09:57

How much company time did they spend creating that mess I wonder?

Just not funny at all Angry

Please report it's so disrespectful precisely because you are the cleaner!

FrippEnos · 18/12/2021 09:58

@SickOfRoses

Their excuse is that numerous members of staff have been pranked by “the elf” and I’m the only one that has had a problem with it. What they fail to realise is that everyone else don’t clean as their actual job. For me it was simply adding to my work.
I am with you on this.

How many that have been "pranked by the elf" have had their work load increased by this behaviour?

I would also put forward the question about whether this "prank" was being paid for in company time.

TheCreamCaker · 18/12/2021 09:59

The childish twats.

neverbeenskiing · 18/12/2021 09:59

Although I can understand you may not have found it funny. I would not call it bullying. I think it was a prank that did not go down well. And pranks had been done to power people so op was not singled out.

I disagree. Vandalising an area of the office that they knew OP would then have to clean is degrading, humiliating and targeted which makes it bullying. Unless the "pranks" on other colleagues also increased their workload, involved defacing their work or interfered with their ability to do their usual work tasks then OP has indeed been "singled out". Even if they did, that still clearly isn't ok and is taking things too far.

Motnight · 18/12/2021 09:59

What others have said re getting a copy of the video and going to HR. My guess is that your colleagues will realise over the weekend that they have way overstepped the mark and will take the video down so make sure that you have the evidence.

Sorry that you are having to go through this, Op.

ImustLearn2Cook · 18/12/2021 10:00

@SickOfRoses Flowers I’m sorry that you’re unwell and had to deal with a pack of bullies on top of that. Hope you feel better soon.

This goes way beyond a prank. We used to prank each other at work but never in a way that interferes with our jobs or made our job harder. And not in a way to humiliate someone.

HolaAmigoz · 18/12/2021 10:01

Definitely complain to HR. Make sure to screen shot the videos and show the names of the people who have uploaded it. Also screenshot the people who have liked it and any comments made. I am an HR manager and we have had to deal with similar situations before. You can also report the post and ask for Facebook/Insta/Twitter, or wherever it was posted, to remove it. They might think it was a joke, and that was probably their intention, but the minute you said you were unhappy it should have ended there. They shouldn’t have then gone on to post it. It’s irrelevant if every other person in the office is ok with it, you’re not.

DrGoogleSaysSo · 18/12/2021 10:02

Are they 12 years old? Ridiculous!!! You shouldn't have to put up with that, report to HR.

worriedatthemoment · 18/12/2021 10:05

Pranks are funny but only if the person being pranked also finds it funny , sharing a video without your consent is not on
I would of prob found that prank funny but my reaction would of been funny to others no doubt , but even then I wouldn't want a video posted

madisonbridges · 18/12/2021 10:06

I have a slightly different take on this to other people on here. When you mentioned faeces on the walls I was appalled but as you say it was chocolate syrup, obviously the intent was to create a joke. Some people would have laughed, but it appears that you didn't find it funny. That being the case they should have apologised and cleared the mess up. We can all make errors of judgement but it's how we respond to the outcome that is what matters.

I guess how ill-judged the joke was initially, depends on the relationship you have with them. If it was a joke they genuinely thought you would find funny but fell flat, I wouldn't go to HR. If, however, there has been a pattern of poor behaviour towards you or you feel it was done to victimise you, then I would go to HR.

As for FB, I strongly believe nothing should be broadcast on there without all participants consent and I'm sure they will take it down as asked.

worriedatthemoment · 18/12/2021 10:07

This is also def a case of knowing your audience

Peakedtoosoon · 18/12/2021 10:07

That is awful. There'd be a disciplinary investigation where I work if anyone treated another member of staff like that.

StrapOnSallyChasedMeDownTheAli · 18/12/2021 10:08

They are wankers. And posting videos of colleagues going about their work whilst in the workplace is surely a violation of privacy?

Being a cleaner can often be a grim and thankless task (ex cleaner here) and it is soul destroying when anyone thinks it's ok/ funny to pull stunts like what they have done.

Don't hesitate to go to HR, their behaviour needs a short shrift. Flowers for you, OP.

yellowtwo · 18/12/2021 10:10

Not funny at all, the cheek of them, and then to put it on Facebook, without your consent, I would be so annoyed, how dare they.
Have they removed it yet OP?

Grizzlydog · 18/12/2021 10:11

Report them.
You have every right to be furious.
The fact they still put the video up shows what bullying vile individuals they are.

Gazelda · 18/12/2021 10:11

It's bullying. They've got together as a gang to deliberately target you. They did it in a way to show you they think your role is beneath theirs. And then posted the clip to further humiliate you.
Disgusting people who should have the book thrown at them.

Frazzled50yrold · 18/12/2021 10:14

They've had an opportunity to apologize when they realised that you didn't see the joke and you now need to take this further.

Enko · 18/12/2021 10:14

Pranking would have been wrapping your mop in gift paper. Not adding half hour + to your work load

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 18/12/2021 10:14

@SickOfRoses

Their excuse is that numerous members of staff have been pranked by “the elf” and I’m the only one that has had a problem with it. What they fail to realise is that everyone else don’t clean as their actual job. For me it was simply adding to my work.
The prank would have been OK(ish) if they had stepped in as soon as you saw it and said, "Of course, you don't have to clear it up - it's our joke, so we'll do it". There is nothing funny about adding work to the already tough job of being a cleaner.

And video-ing you then uploading to Facebook without your consent, while not illegal, is almost certainly a breach of their workplace rules. If it isn't, it should be!

MargosKaftan · 18/12/2021 10:15

Report to HR. Message the person who put up the video and ask them to remove it. (Only to have it in writing you asked.)

Topseyt · 18/12/2021 10:15

This is disgraceful behaviour from them. It is designed to demean and humiliate you. Not even remotely funny.

I agree that you should complain. Go to HR if there is one. Otherwise to the management. Show them a copy of the video.

It sounds like these idiots never left the school playground, where such twattery is also frowned upon.

Shedmistress · 18/12/2021 10:16

I really think you need to go and see your manager before you do anything else, including more cleaning.

I'd make sure I had a copy of the video, and show it to my manager and put a grievance in for bullying.

This is unacceptable behaviour in the workplace and the fact that they put a video up online is outrageous.

HaroldMeeker · 18/12/2021 10:18

That's really unpleasant of them to video and upload after you'd been clear that you were upset. The "joke" backfired and they should have cleaned up and that would have been the end of it. Uploading a video is the bullying action - that's absolutely unacceptable and yes, needs Senior management involved. That was just nasty, meant to humiliate you. That's the part that really stinks.

SenseSphere · 18/12/2021 10:19

You’re not being unreasonable - disgusting behaviour, especially the uploading of the video to Facebook. Go straight to HR.

Dwrcegin · 18/12/2021 10:19

Are these people adults or do you work in a school?

Increasing your workload for fun is not on. You need HR involvement asap. Can you tag the higher ups on facebook so they can see the video?