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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU .. to work on 19 September?

265 replies

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 10/09/2022 17:57

It's the first day back at work for me and the first day of freshers week. Of course the student activity planned for the day will not take place but I'd got several meetings planned with colleagues and student ambassadors as well as a couple of employers. These meetings will affect what we do in the rest of the week.

It's not about not showing respect or not caring about the queen and nothing whatsoever to do with the social side of university or drinking activities. Yes we can rearrange some things. But it's going to be rather awkward and have a knock on effect on the following week when the returners come back.

If the others are amenable - and I'm aware they might not be - I want to have the meetings, probably on Zoom.

AIBU?

OP posts:
KweenieBeanz · 10/09/2022 19:40

carefullycourageous · 10/09/2022 19:38

This is what people mean by a toxic work environment - you don't 'have to' work but some arse always makes it clear they think you're slacking if you don't.

Where everyone had to work on rotas etc everyone is in the same boat at least.

You put it much better than I did this is what I was trying to say!

Twizbe · 10/09/2022 19:40

You can work if you like, but I suggest you try to rearrange these meetings first.

Please make it very clear (especially to the students) that they can say no.

Also try to avoid having meetings while the funeral is actually taking place.

Andromachehadabadday · 10/09/2022 19:40

carefullycourageous · 10/09/2022 19:38

This is what people mean by a toxic work environment - you don't 'have to' work but some arse always makes it clear they think you're slacking if you don't.

Where everyone had to work on rotas etc everyone is in the same boat at least.

This is so true

Libertyqueen · 10/09/2022 19:41

I think YANBU to do work that only involves you but YABU to put pressure (however subtle) on ours to work on a bank holiday.

PenYGore · 10/09/2022 19:43

OP, my youngest child is about to start university, and I'd be very, very grateful to you for being prepared to carry on working to try to make sure they had a decent first week (and beyond). I have other student children, and Covid has been completely shit for them with cancellations, miserable first years etc.

I am absolutely not anti-Royal Family, but I think there needs to be a bit of proportion.

I will be working as I'm self employed and nobody will be paying me to sit around watching the TV which I don't possess.

If I worked with you, @ImJustMadAboutSaffron, I would be glad that you were carrying on as normal.

Cornettoninja · 10/09/2022 19:44

Iliveonahill · 10/09/2022 19:01

im not sure that is true. Agency staff in my org will not get paid.

Show quote history

Agency staff should get an annual leave entitlement from their agency. I used to accrue annual leave as I went depending on how many hours I worked. The same sort of formula you’d use to calculate part timers annual leave.

FruitToast · 10/09/2022 19:44

YABVU. I am way behind on the academic side of my job so shall probably spend some of the BH catching up but I certainly won't be asking anyone else to work. No matter how long the zoom meeting!

PenYGore · 10/09/2022 19:45

Please make it very clear (especially to the students) that they can say no

As for this: do you seriously think that the majority of 18 yr olds are going to be in mourning? I know they'll take any opportunity to lie in bed and do very little - but a bit of "this isn't all about you, and the show must go on" would do them no harm at all.

EllieRosesMammy · 10/09/2022 19:46

YANBU. I work in the hospitality industry so I will 100% be working, as I do every other bank holiday as they're always really busy. Most people will use it as an excuse to be in the pub 🤷‍♀️

everythingthelighttouches · 10/09/2022 19:48

Are they even your meetings to postpone/cancel?

Why wouldn’t you take a bank holiday day that is owed to you? (Whatever the reason for the bank holiday)

Would you normally ask colleagues (however politely or informally) to attend meetings on bank holidays?

Twizbe · 10/09/2022 19:50

PenYGore · 10/09/2022 19:45

Please make it very clear (especially to the students) that they can say no

As for this: do you seriously think that the majority of 18 yr olds are going to be in mourning? I know they'll take any opportunity to lie in bed and do very little - but a bit of "this isn't all about you, and the show must go on" would do them no harm at all.

What I meant by that is the students might not have the working experience or life experience to feel able to say no to working. Whether they want to watch the funeral or not, they don't have to work on a BH in this scenario.

The OP would be very UR to make anyone feel like they had to work on a day they have got off.

That would be the same if she was asking them to work on Xmas day, good Friday or august bank holiday.

moneybeingwasted · 10/09/2022 19:51

I am in a profession where I have always had to work when others haven’t!
From a purely selfish point of view I hope that airline employees work on Monday 19th ..really need my holiday …and yes I am spewing that I will be at an airport whilst her majesty is put to rest !

SellFridges · 10/09/2022 19:51

Any meetings I was due to have that day will either be moved forwards or backwards. Im
not clear on why yours cannot also be postponed. If the organisation gives the day off, you should honour it the same way you would any other.

For those who work in places that require them to work, I assume the usual pay/toil arrangements will apply.

Hardbackwriter · 10/09/2022 19:51

When you say it's your first day back at work - is the issue that you're on annual leave this week? If so, the obvious solution is that you cancel your leave and work some of this week rather than expecting everyone else to work on their day off?

PenYGore · 10/09/2022 19:52

Twizbe · 10/09/2022 19:50

What I meant by that is the students might not have the working experience or life experience to feel able to say no to working. Whether they want to watch the funeral or not, they don't have to work on a BH in this scenario.

The OP would be very UR to make anyone feel like they had to work on a day they have got off.

That would be the same if she was asking them to work on Xmas day, good Friday or august bank holiday.

Show quote history

That's also a fair point, well made. I suppose I am viewing this from the perspective of the mother of three children whose first years at university have been fucked up by lockdown, and also from the perspective of someone who is self employed!

TooBored1 · 10/09/2022 19:55

Uni staff here too - if my institution is anything to go by, I doubt you'd get many takers for meetings that day. I've already told my team we won't be working at all that day, if it was confirmed as being a BH.

waltzingparrot · 10/09/2022 19:56

Could you at least organise it for late afternoon, after the funeral?

userxx · 10/09/2022 19:57

PianoHouseBanger · 10/09/2022 18:00

I'm self employed, I will be working, unless Charles wants to fund me and I'll gladly take the 'bank holiday'

I'm self employed too, I'm absolutely not working and will be watching the funeral. The clients can wait.

UnshakenNeedsStirring · 10/09/2022 19:59

We dont live in north korea ffs

Namechange13101 · 10/09/2022 20:01

My workplace is shut which is helpful as nursery is presumably shut, but my husband still has to go in as his worki is of an essential capacity that means some of his team have to be in, same a Christmas Day!

carefullycourageous · 10/09/2022 20:04

waltzingparrot · 10/09/2022 19:56

Could you at least organise it for late afternoon, after the funeral?

No, because the op works in an institution that is SHUT.

celan · 10/09/2022 20:08

userxx · 10/09/2022 19:57

I'm self employed too, I'm absolutely not working and will be watching the funeral. The clients can wait.

Show quote history

How nice for you to have this luxury. My clients can't wait, so I will be working (not least as I lost all my income during lockdown so, much as I think the Queen did a good job, I will not be losing another day's income as I can't afford to signal my virtue).

jd88123 · 10/09/2022 20:09

I'd like to be able to take it off but the way things are going financially I'm going to pick up an extra shift as it will be public holiday money!

racquel86 · 10/09/2022 20:09

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 10/09/2022 17:57

It's the first day back at work for me and the first day of freshers week. Of course the student activity planned for the day will not take place but I'd got several meetings planned with colleagues and student ambassadors as well as a couple of employers. These meetings will affect what we do in the rest of the week.

It's not about not showing respect or not caring about the queen and nothing whatsoever to do with the social side of university or drinking activities. Yes we can rearrange some things. But it's going to be rather awkward and have a knock on effect on the following week when the returners come back.

If the others are amenable - and I'm aware they might not be - I want to have the meetings, probably on Zoom.

AIBU?

YANBU if others still want to have the meetings.
As it happens 19th should be my first day of uni and I'm absolutely gutted it will be cancelled 😞 I was so looking forward to it! I'm a nurse and was to begin my masters for my job, it's something I'm so proud to have finally plucked up the courage to do. But hey ho, I'll be at work instead and that's ok.

bloodyunicorns · 10/09/2022 20:11

Yanbu. The government's official guidance says that all mourning is at individual discretion. It's really not state-mandated. 🤷🏼‍♀️

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