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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ignore work when they tried to call me in

134 replies

Ihavehadenoughalready · 17/04/2023 02:37

Just worked the weekend, both days, first shift. Relaxing now, relaxing on my day off tomorrow, then work Tuesday through Friday.

Call comes I ignore it as I do when I don't know the number, listen to voice mail; they want to know if I can come tonight on third shift because X has called in again, leaving one person to cover our hospital department.

Company has told us last week that there will henceforth be no more call-in pay, no more incentive pay (we were getting that for being soooo short-staffed), and the only incentive left is if the extra day happens to make the week over forty hours, thus time-and-a-half. Which this would be for me.

But X keeeeeps calling in on third. X is not ill. X is burnt out because of working full time plus attending school. X has overbooked himself. Too bad for X.

OTOH, I feel sorry for the person left to fend for themself.

OTOH (I think I'm up to three hands now), I'm tired of the fact that we are so thinly staffed that one call-in makes for a catastrophic situation.

But I seem to have lost all incentive.....because our incentive and call-in pay was taken away.

So I thought about going in, such is my feeling of guilt, but dag nab it, I deserve days off. I ignored the voice mail and if anyone asks, my phone was on silent (it wasn't) and I didn't see that they called (I did).

When will our Overlords understand if they want hospitals to function, they must increase staffing or increase pay?

OP posts:
Starhead69 · 17/04/2023 08:35

ShimmeringShirts · 17/04/2023 08:32

YANBU OP, but I’m laughing at the PP that thinks her DH is single handedly responsible for the country having open supermarkets Grin

@ShimmeringShirts 😂😂 that amused me also

Mycathatesmecuddling · 17/04/2023 08:41

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

Supermarkets shouldn't be paying basic pay

Most supermarkets are making millions/billons of pounds in profit whilst paying their workers less than a living wage so that they need to be topped up with universal credit

This forces into a position where taxpayers money is indirectly bolstering supermarket profits instead of being able to be used to, for example, pay for more healthcare staff.

The supermarket employment model is not something that shoild be boasted about or aimed for. Of we all went around with the attitude that supermarkets don't treat their workers well so other companies shouldn't the world would not be a better place.

And funnily enough although I don't want supermarket workers overworked or exploited, I'm far less concerned about the person on the checkout being overtired that I am about the person counting out my medication or doing other medical tasks!

Pudmyboy · 17/04/2023 08:42

Nightlystroll · 17/04/2023 03:05

Do you think your hospital is deliberately not staffing to the correct level?

Yes!!! If the place copes this becomes the new default staffing or workload level. This happened to me many years ago when a project came in on top of our usual workload, (not healthcare), we worked out butts off including through breaks, thinking there may be a bonus to follow: there wasn't, management used the fact that we had coped as a reason for increasing the workload even though we told them what we had to do to complete it on time.
Management/HR often just see the outcome: ward staffed, work completed, and do not care about how that was achieved as long as it does not cost them money.

CherryCokeFanatic · 17/04/2023 08:44

Live by the simple rules of never answering work calls when you’re not working. If unknown and a message is left and it’s clearly about work, delete and put it right at the back of your mind. If they really want to bring it up, they can talk to you… at work!

caringcarer · 17/04/2023 08:54

I would be pointing out it's not responsibility to cover for X who has taken on too much as is constantly phoning in sick.

pointythings · 17/04/2023 09:09

Employers need to be taught that they have contracted someone for X hours per week for Y amount of pay, and if they want their employee to work {X + more] then they need to pay [Y + more]. End of story.

(Armed forces and some other professions excepted)

Showerpowerer · 17/04/2023 09:16

Nooooo, just ignore the calls or if you are feeling strong answer and say no.

Management get paid more for this reason, it’s not your problem it’s theirs.

Tealsofa · 17/04/2023 09:21

Stripeybluetop · 17/04/2023 06:05

I wonder are they jealous of your career and want to put you in your place?

er what now?

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 17/04/2023 09:29

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

No, if your hubby and his colleagues ignored call ins their employer would have to either staff their businesses appropriately or increase incentives so that existing employees wanted to come in.

Your hubby needs to stop placing so little value on his time, his work certainly don't think he's worth much, and all that extra effort he puts in only benefits shareholders and the c-suite.

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 17/04/2023 10:04

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

Anyone else discount replies with words like "hubby" in or am I just a raging snob... OP YANBU

Puppers · 17/04/2023 10:24

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

If that’s the case then it sounds like your husband needs to advocate for himself and know his worth instead of doing extra hours for low pay. Not that simple in reality, otherwise we wouldn’t have massive global corporations making their billions off the work of low paid staff. I certainly wouldn’t be arguing to maintain this status quo though, and trying to guilt trip others into doing it as well out of some weird sense of duty.

Not that it really matters because OP is apparently a health worker and you’re talking about supermarkets.

Twillow · 17/04/2023 10:24

Absolutely awful situation, very angry on your behalf.
I think you need to consistently answer the call and state your reason for declining. Hopefully, it will get passed upwards eventually.

Timeforchangeithink · 17/04/2023 10:33

Honestly if people weren't so greedy (you're not going because you'll just get your hourly rate) then companies would have to staff properly which would then probably piss people off as they're losing money.. can't win really.

Brefugee · 17/04/2023 10:41

Have only read OP

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

that's on him. If he is so vital, he is more expensive, that is the first rule of economics. Free market economics, which his employer thinks it's working at by shafting him. The boot is on the other foot.

He needs to join a union, as do all his colleagues, and get their terms & conditions improved.

It is not a race to the bottom.

OP - same applies to you: you are a scarce resource, and your price determines how often you deign to work for the company. Not the other way round. Tell them you will go in for time and a half, even under the 40 hours plus incentive bonus per extra shift.

Toddlerteaplease · 17/04/2023 10:43

You are allowed to say no, for what ever reason you like.

Bluebellbike · 17/04/2023 10:44

I was a support worker (minimum wage)and inly received basic pay for extra shifts. We were on a skeleton staff and the company had to fill shifts with very expensive agency staff. Regular staff were burnt out due to working 50 to 60 hours a week. OP, if X has called in due to being burnt out that doesn't mean you have to burn yourself out as well.
However I would respond to say you cannot cover it, maybe mention that you need your days off. I wouldn't have covered extra shifts for pay incentives though.

SnapchatJustForTheFilters · 17/04/2023 10:45

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

Please thank your husband for his service. He's doing God's work.

OP, please learn from this absolute trooper and get your lazy arse into that HOSPITAL THAT KEEPS PEOPLE ALIVE immediately.

#notallheroeswearcapes #marmiteandbread #yesimbeingsarcastic #supermarketsaregreattho

testtrout · 17/04/2023 10:53

It's always been like that. Many use childcare, claim they have had wine, are away somewhere to avoid it. The constant guilt. You always need an excuse or you will be dragged in exhausted, I'll or whatever.
It's horrid situation that leads to burn out. Seriously the government need to sort out the pay and staffing would be better as a result of better recruitment and retention.

haXXor · 17/04/2023 11:01

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

Are you proud that your husband is a doormat to his employer like that?

Stop turning working conditions into a race to the bottom and develop some awareness of class politics.

MsRosley · 17/04/2023 11:02

LadyJ2023 · 17/04/2023 02:59

Yes if my hubby ignored his calls or the rest of the staff you would have no supermarkets and thats for basic pay!

That's absurd. You think supermarkets aren't making money? They can easily afford more staff, but why bother if they can coerce the staff they've got into giving up their free time at the drop of a hat for no extra pay.

CheersForThatEh · 17/04/2023 11:07

Answer and say no as here is no incentive pay.

They can presumably get and pay for bank staff. Typical to save a penny spend a pound.

And dont judge X. Nobody benefits from staff in-fighting. If you blame X even slightly, especially to management, then it takes away from the main issue which is improper staffing levels as a BAU decision

piratypotato · 17/04/2023 11:08

hat's on him. If he is so vital, he is more expensive, that is the first rule of economics. Free market economics, which his employer thinks it's working at by shafting him. The boot is on the other foot.

Really though? Nurses are pretty vital and woefully underpaid. SNA's. Junior drs, care assistants....lots of jobs are absolutely vital but it doesn't seem to push up wages.

MargotBamborough · 17/04/2023 11:12

YANBU not to do the extra shift.

YABU not to answer the phone and tell them why you are not doing the extra shift.

fruitbrewhaha · 17/04/2023 11:17

I've said you are being unreasonable but not for not wanting to work but for not calling them back to let them know. Call them and tell them you need time off between shifts.

Beseen22 · 17/04/2023 11:24

I could literally work day and night all week with the amount of begging texts from multiple wards I get telling me how desperate they are and guilt tripping me about how unsafe the staffing is. It is not our job to sort out staffing and we should not be doing it out of guilt. We have said it for years that if they offered an small incentive for staff to cover last minute gaps they wouldn't have to pay out 75% more for agency. Also if it was that unsafe a manager should be taking a caseload/covering.

I was giving a carer friend a lift on her one afternoon off in 7 days and she was going for a hospital appt. Her boss called when I was in the car and guilt tripped her for 20 minutes saying "Mr Smith has no one to come in to him if you don't pick up an extra, would you like him to fall?"