Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This is some BULLSHIT - female toilets at work

163 replies

HonestlyPromisely · 02/02/2022 06:28

Main building and separate smaller building

Smaller building (where I work) is very very old. Roughly 60 women and exactly TWO men work in there.

Female toilets are constantly blocked out of use. When this happens we have to traipse over to the main building. They’ve been out of action for two weeks now and maintenance have put an email around to say they will not be fixing them as building is due to be torn down in 6 mths and they will just keep breaking.

Women will have to walk over to main building (about 50m away) to use the loo

Why the fuck can’t the men go to the main building and we have the mens toilets which apparently work absolutely fine?! They have 3 cubicles and 2 urinals, we have 3 cubicles.

AIBU here? Shouldn’t the two men be asked to go over to the main building given there’s only bloody two of them?

OP posts:
User154871 · 02/02/2022 06:30

I don't get why you are turning it into a 'the men should walk'. Surely your irritation should be aimed at the business and maintenance? Tell them it is unacceptable to leave employees without toilets for 6 months and either they keep fixing them or they knock the building down now.

SkyLarkDescending · 02/02/2022 06:30

YANBU.
Can you all agree to just use the mens? Has it been raised with HR? Or make them 'unisex' for the next 6 months?

We have mixed toilets at work and all the women hate it so queue for the one disabled toilet instead.

WeAreTheHeroes · 02/02/2022 06:30

If there's only two of them isn't it easy enough to see when they're at their workstations and just use the men's toilets then?

ViceLikeBlip · 02/02/2022 06:32

For each individual person, it doesn't really matter how many others are similarly inconvenienced. Would you mind less having to schlep over to the main building if you were the only one having to do it?

I would be furious if the tables were turned, and they told the women that they had to sacrifice their toilets to the men.

PinkWaferBiscuit · 02/02/2022 06:34

Why are you making this into a man vs women thing when surely you should all instead be demanding proper maintenance. It's not the fault of the men who work there that your toilets are not working and if it was the other way round you'd probably also be furious that the men had been given your toilets and the women had to walk to the other building.

You need to all keep contacting whoever sent the email and get them to fix the toilets.

FluffyBooBoo · 02/02/2022 06:36

50 metres?

Do you all feel like this, or do some of your colleagues welcome the chance to get up and stretch their legs, even for that short distance? I would, especially if it's a sedentary office type job.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 02/02/2022 06:37

First, 50m - hardly a long way to walk to use the loo! Definitely not a ‘traipse’.

Secondly - if it IS too far for you, agree with the men/HR that the male toilets will become unisex and just use them. Or email HR/management to point out that you believe it is unacceptable to expect women - you might have to explain why is this not ok for women but ok for men, btw - to walk 50 yards and the toilets will therefore need to be fixed.

TheReluctantPhoenix · 02/02/2022 06:38

They should just make the toilets unisex and close the urinals.

fabulouslyglamorousferret · 02/02/2022 06:38

I thought that, 50m? It's hardly John O'Groats to Lands End!

Just use the mens if it's a problem walking.

PartyPlan · 02/02/2022 06:39

I would be furious if the tables were turned, and they told the women that they had to sacrifice their toilets to the men.

Completely agree. There would be uproar if this was the other way round.

TheReluctantPhoenix · 02/02/2022 06:39

It is 50m outside! That is a long way if it is pouring and 2 degrees.

With 60 women and 2 men, men should have to compromise.

Fuuuuuckit · 02/02/2022 06:42

50m is less than half the distance between my desk and the nearest toilet.

Get on to someone to get the ladies loos fixed. Or make it into an adventure expedition each time you need to go?

TracyMosby · 02/02/2022 06:42

Why do the womens toilets keep getting blocked but he men’s dont?

erinaceus · 02/02/2022 06:42

AIBU here? Shouldn’t the two men be asked to go over to the main building given there’s only bloody two of them?

Have you discussed this suggestion with either the me affected or HR?

Soontobe60 · 02/02/2022 06:42

Just point out to them how much working time will be lost - time it takes for 1 person to use the toilets in the other building = 10 minutes versus 5 minutes in the current building. Each person uses the toilet 2x a day = 20 v 10 mins pppd.
60 women x 20m pd = 1200 mins work lost (20 hours per day) other building
60 women x 10 m pd = 600 mins work lost (10 hours per day) current drilling
2 men x 20m pd = 40 mins work lost other building
2 men 10 m pd = 20 mins work lost current building
So work time lost if women use other building = 20 hours 20 mins
Work time lost if women use current building = 10 hours 40 mins.
It’s a no brainer!

ChangingStates · 02/02/2022 06:47

Just share the toilets there are- if only 2 men they can hardly ever be in there. If women really don't want to be in there when a man there could be a sign on the door that men put up or flip or whatever that shows toilet is currently in use by a man

jeaux90 · 02/02/2022 06:48

Can they accelerate your move into the bigger building? If the one you are in will be torn down surely they have plans to relocate you?

I'd be annoyed too.

sparklyponies · 02/02/2022 06:49

I'd either be pleased that I could scive for an extra couple of minutes or just use the mens anyway Grin

Tiramysu · 02/02/2022 06:51

Anyone who can't be bothered can just identify as a man for a bit?

Tiramysu · 02/02/2022 06:51

I'm assuming there's an accessible loo nearby

fabulouslyglamorousferret · 02/02/2022 06:53

It's 50m!! I probably have that at work too ... it doesn't even register as a 'distance'

cakeambush · 02/02/2022 06:54

It is a long walk if you have continence issues.

Arabellla · 02/02/2022 06:55

You all need to fight this together. Start a petition, etc.

HoppingPavlova · 02/02/2022 06:56

I agree with Tiranysu, all the women should just self-identify as men at present and therefore use the men’s toilets. Such an easy fix.

Spookytooth · 02/02/2022 06:56

Can you phrase it as lost work time as 60 people are traipsing around the site regularly and not at their desks.