To want to pay less at work Christmas drinks?

[Rainallnight]

Agh, I just wrote a long post and it got lost!

the short version is - it’s my work’s tradition that SMT members split the bill for drinks at our Christmas lunch. I am the least well paid member of SMT by some distance and have begun to feel this is unfair.

I’d rather we make a contribution that’s proportionate to our salaries.

AIBU?

Do you have to go to the do ?
Are you able to suggest that everyone just pays for their own drinks maybe ?

Split the drinks for who? The whole team? How many in the team?

Pay for your own drinks as you get them.

YANBU. Another vote for pay for your own drinks 👍

Sorry, for the whole organisation. There are 15 people altogether.

You aren’t at all unreasonable!

This drove me mad when my DH was in an organisation that did this. The bar bill would often run to anything up to £1000 (his share).

It’s not for one employee to pay for the Christmas party for other employees. It should either be on the company or everyone buys their own.

I’m afraid it’s just not done that way and I’m not going to suggest it. I don’t mind SMT in principle contributing at all - it’s the way it’s done, with people on vastly different salaries making the same contribution that bothers me.

It dpends on how much ypu earn.

I get paid around £50k. At least one person on the same SMT is on around £100k

Mine won’t be anything like that thankfully but same idea.

We are a charity and obviously can’t spend charitable funds on lunch or booze, so this is the workaround d.

Don't go.

I would bet the bar bill OP would still be asked to kick in for her share.

That’s not on at all. They have no idea about each individuals financial situations and outgoings. Regardless of what anyone earns.

I wouldn’t go.

How much are we actually talking in total OP?

I wouldn't go.

Honestly Christmas is busy and expensive enough with friends and family never mind stumping up for work dos.

If work want you to have a Christmas lunch etc they should pay.

I used to refuse to go to my works Christmas drinks out and not care how much of a cow that made me look. I'm not 19. I have responsibilities, bills, family etc and if I'm having a night drinking it will be with family / friends not paying for managers piss ups.

I find it all really tricky because I’m usually very generous and the first to put my hand in my pocket for lots of things. So causing a fuss about this doesn’t entirely sit right with me, but not does the fact that my SMT colleagues think this is ok.

While I see your reasoning I can't see it working. Who's going to know how much everyone earns. Who's going to decide how much everyone pays. And how do you plan to get everyone to agree I'd imagine most people will think it's too much hassle

A grand?! In the run up to Christmas as well! Bloody hell.

If there’s no way out @Rainallnight I would plead poverty and tell the MD how much you are able to contribute towards drinks.

Or suggest the SMT put £xxx behind the bar and after that’s gone, everyone buys their own.

I don't think that better paid employees should pay more. You don't know what their outgoings are at home; some may be short of ready money even if better paid.
What would be very reasonable is to raise this with management (or whoever makes these events happen) well before the event, say you're finding it too expensive especially at Christmas but you still want to go, and ask for the expectation to be changed so that each person chooses whether to join in 'rounds' or pay for themselves.

@StormingNorman This drove me mad when my DH was in an organisation that did this. The bar bill would often run to anything up to £1000 (his share). bloody hell!! what were they drinking??? £500 bottles of champagne???? how could everyone's share be £1k each?

Yep. I’d be bloody fuming some years!

It’s not really fair. I’m often broke around Xmas and so I would choose to only have 1 drink sometimes at theses events. I don’t expect others to limit their number of drinks because of me, and equally I wouldn’t want to be made to pay for rounds I’m not involved in!

I wouldn't expect anyone to pay my way regardless of salary.