Completely shafted over in the christmas rota

[Mysticcatmum]

I work in a call centre

Everyone has to work 2 out of the 3 bank holidays, I put in my preferred date of Xmas off

I have been scheduled to work Xmas day, new years eve and day

I then have the parents of toddlers asking me to cover their Christmas eve shifts as I am 'childless'. I have found out that the same people do infact have off Xmas day

Apologies, more of a rant but AIBU to be sick of the mentality of 'christmas is for kids'?! Despite me adoring the holiday

No advice, but it sounds unfair you have all the Christmas days and new years as well.
Could you ask someone why , or if they could change it to be a bit fairer?

There should be a fair distribution of time off, whether you have small children, older children, no children or whatever. If you’re doing more of the bank holidays simply because you don’t have children, that’s unfair and needs to be challenged.

Work it this year & request that you have it off next year

Why have you ended up working all of them ?

I would be complaining to your manager if I was you

She isn’t workin g 3 bank holidays… the bank holidays are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.

Sorry, I am not working boxing day, so I am still technically doing the 2/3 days

Are you covering 2 or 3 bank holidays? You mentioned New Year’s Eve which is not a bank holiday.
Anyway you are covering at least 2 and there is no reason for you to cover for anyone else. If you give in for Christmas Eve you will likely have someone ask you to work Boxing Day, which I assume is the one bank holiday day you have off.

I then have the parents of toddlers asking me to cover their Christmas eve shifts as I am 'childless'. I have found out that the same people do infact have off Xmas day

They are being unreasonable. Just say "No."

How have you been shafted if you are working 2 out of the 3 Bank Holidays as required?

Say no. You don't need to give a reason.

Say sure that's fine do you wanna do a shift swap. Il do your Christmas eve and you do my Christmas day. That will soon shut them up

How many of you are there? Are ALL the people who got Christmas day off parents?

This is exactly what I would do. Just say no OP or even better what PP has said above.

How do they choose it? You're working 2 of the 3, as per the policy. Realistically I imagine everyone will put Christmas Day as their preferred day off - do they choose randomly? Look at previous years? Were you there last year, if so what day did you have off?

I would be saying to any parents that ask you to do Christmas Eve that you’ll happily swap Christmas Eve for either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day! But won’t be working an extra day without a fair swap!!

I would talk to your manager and say that since you’re working Christmas Day this year you want a guarantee that you’ll get it off next year! It should be done fairly!

when I worked shift work in a place that needed staffing 24/7 - 365 days a year… our manager would bring the Christmas rota to a team meeting and ask for volunteers… there were always some people happy to work Christmas Day … I used to offer up Christmas eve (long shift, night & finish at 8am Christmas Day so I could see my family.. or as a non drinker I’d spend Christmas Day with my family and then volunteer to do Christmas night, starting at 10pm and work Boxing Day all day..
it seems like a fairer system as I’m sure they’ll be some people who would happily work Christmas day rather than be home alone!

I don't see the problem. You are working 2/3 bank hols.

You just say no covering others

Parents choose to be parents, they choose to a job where they might have to work Xmas. That’s not your problem!

I actually left the hospitality industry after one year when I was rotad for Xmas Eve, Day, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and NYD. Was told it was only fair as the other had kids.

You haven't been "shafted" at all. You say work policy is to work 2 out of the 3 bank holidays and this is what you have been rostered to do. I assume the others will also be working their 2 bank holidays. If others are asking to swap you just have to say no.

But most people will put Christmas Day as their preferred day off I imagine. You haven't been shafted. Your colleagues are taking the piss though

That's rubbish , you surely have the same rights as everyone else
Where I work it's shared fairly regardless of anyone's situation and we help each other .

Go and complain if you have more to work than everyone else !

Could you change jobs

I don’t get that… sure I understand parents wanting Christmas Day off… but the other 4 too is ridiculous!

When I was childless I used to have this (not that we were open xmas day or boxing day) and it used to piss me off. Even more when my manager said 'one day you'll have children'!

I can sympathise. I asked for either Christmas Day or Boxing Day off. Got neither & am working all 4 bank holidays. Unfortunately when you work in a job that has 365 cover it's going to happen.

Keep a note of who got what this year so you're prepared next year & say a firm no to the CF asking for a swap on Christmas Eve

Tell them yes, you’ll swap your Christmas Day for their Christmas Eve.