To tell them to F*** off and quit before the Christmas break?

[icyblast]

I’ve been working full time at a nursery for 3 years now, and honestly, it’s been terrible. I’m not sure how I’ve managed to stick around this long. I think I just got too comfortable. The kids are lovely, and I genuinely enjoy that part of my job. But the management / owners? That’s a different story. It’s a chain of nurseries, and all they care about is profit. The staff are treated like shit, paid peanuts, and they act like they’re untouchable / above employment law. I could share so many stories, but I won’t bother. However, this latest incident has pushed me and a few others over the edge.

To keep it short, the owners like to donate to charity (which isn’t a bad thing), but they’re not good people, and no one sees what happens behind the scenes. They’ve organised a charity event for tomorrow that lasts 3 hours and threatened us with disciplinary action if we don’t show up. We all work Monday to Friday (that’s what our contracts say) and won’t be paid for our time tomorrow. Plus, it’s the last weekend before Christmas, so naturally, most of us have plans or are going away. They only told us on Tuesday that we were expected to attend. One of my colleagues only started 2 weeks ago (already had plans for the weekend), and while our manager let her off, she basically got a warning and was told not to let it happen again. Seriously? It’s her day off! Why shouldn’t she be able to make plans?

The thing is, if they had just asked us nicely to help out, most of us would have agreed. But they’ve given us no choice and threatened to sack us if we don’t go! Then we have to act like it’s a wonderful company and put on smiles and act happy for the parents and kids. We’re going just to avoid the hassle, but most of us are now looking for new jobs.

I talked to my partner about this, and he told me to just leave. I don’t have another job lined up yet, but I’m fully qualified and have over 10 years of experience in child care. I’m not trying to be cocky, but there are so many care jobs available right now that I doubt I’d have a hard time finding something better. AIBU to hand my notice in on Christmas Eve and enjoy my time off?

Do NOT apologise, as you have nothing to apologise for.

I'd not go and let them follow through on their threat of disciplinary action, why make it easy for them by resigning? Contact your union if you have one today, be interesting to see how far your employer would be prepared to push this, and you have your mind made up (and rightly so) that you won't be staying anyway but call their bluff first

Don't go! It's awful that to make themselves look good, they are exploiting their staff. I wouldn't resign, I would tell them you are not working without pay. If they sack you - which they won't - you have a claim for unfair dismissal. But tell them now you are not going to be there.

This. Sadly some companies deserve it if they treat their staff like crap. You’ve been there 3 years, they can’t just sack you without consequences. Speak to ACAS if you are not in a Union.

Can you coordinate with everyone so that nobody shows up? If you’re painting an accurate picture, it’s really unfair on everyone and they can’t exactly sack you all! Plus none of you are legally obliged (though I would check your contract, in mine I’m expected to work overtime without pay)

Oh and document everything in writing, so if something is said to you email afterwards 're the conversation earlier where you said XYZ' and try to have a colleague in earshot as a witness.

My work tried something similar (also a multi large company)

I just refused (took some crap from the manager and a threat of a warning) but I just laughed

I wasn't going in,that was the end of that

Apparently they did ask where I was in a snotty tone but never said another word about it

If let them sack you and then take them to the cleaners

Email them re email sent x time requiring me to attend a 3 hour event tomorrow. I’d say you have a prior commitment and won’t be attending the event on a none working day.
Keep it short and factual (think if it went to a tribunal) keep copies of all emails and messages from them and to.
In new year look for a new job and join a union.
If they are silly enough to launch disciplinary or sack you contact acas.

This!

I've heard so many times that there are shit management that run nurseries, mainly the chain one's.

I'd just leave today, as you say these kind of establishments are always looking for staff, there's no way you should be spoken to like that.
I'd also tell your boss that as they're threatening to sack you anyway they won't see it as a problem with you leaving.

I suspect there are nurseries out there where management do treat workers well and those will know that a big turnover can happen, and why so you'll always be able to find another job.

Your boss needs to be taught a lesson and I hope on Monday morning they will be stood at the door having to tell parents/carers that they are short staffed and won't be able to accept their DC for the foreseeable.

Yes, I realise it's not fair on parents/carers but it would maybe make these types of management think twice before using threatening behaviour towards staff in this way again.

There’s a massive recruitment crisis is early years. You’ll ask into another job, hopefully one that appreciates you more than your current employers.

I agree with PP, send an email saying you won't be attending their event on your non working day.

Check your contract and unless there's something in it that says you must work extra hours on a non-working day, don't turn up tomorrow. If all of you do that, let them sack all of you.

To be truthful a tribunal is a lot of work and stress and won’t make you a millionaire

don’t provide unpaid work

keep a copy of everything via email - make sure it’s clear you are asked to do something unpaid - even just mail them and say “given I have been told that the event tomorrow in addition to be outside my working house is also unpaid, I won’t be able to attend “ just so that it’s on record

If childcare roles are easy to find - find yourself your next job and wave bye bye. Ideally without resigning first.

Our local Tesco used to brag about their employees volunteering at the local hospice charity shop. In one of the surveys I wrote to them that if the employees didn't get paid for their work at the charity shop by Tesco then actually I wasn't impressed at all, I was appalled. I can't have been the only one to answer like that because shortly thereafter, the Tesco employees no longer got voluntold to work at the charity shop.

Don't resign.
Don't go tomorrow.
They will either not sack you or you'll do well at the Employment Tribunal.
But look for another job anyway, they're twats.

This sounds like it could be a storyline on the nursery nurse! 😂

YANBU but make sure you do it so you get paid over Christmas. January sucks at the best of times, plan your notice period so you get paid.

Absolutely don't go. Email in and say "really sorry I am unable to come in on Saturday, as it's my day off I will be spending it with family (or whatever).
So you have it written down. They may even reply in email "you have to come in or there will be trouble... blah blah"

Get what they are doing in writing. As a patent, I would want to know.

Panorama should do an exposé...

If you've worked there for 3 years, you have employment rights - why don't you take a different approach? Don't go, explaining it's your non working day, let them discipline you and resign on that basis, and claim constructive dismissal at the employment tribunal. That's teach them a better lesson than you quitting...

Don't go tomorrow, just say you have plans. Don't resign though, see what they do and if they sack you take them to tribunal.
you could always run it past ACAS that this is what you are doing, for max impact all staff should refuse to do it, be interesting if they try and sack you all

You've been there over two years so you have full rights.

As people have said, keep records of everything. If the discipline thing was said rather than written, keep a record of who said it, and when.

Unlikely you will want to bother with a tribunal but if they do discipline you formally then make sure that you calmly tell them that you work your contracted hours and any other work or elated activity is at your discretion.

If you are confident about getting another job, resign on 5 Jan.

This!

Yes go. And if you get the opportunity, I would find a way of slagging off the cheeky f and naming them.publicly and giving them a bad name so long as you dont jeopardise your own job chances......maybe wait until.you've got yiur reference and are in a new job.

You should all not turn up … what they going to do sack you all … show an united front

I know how you feel, I had this in the past but to a whole dysfunctional level with management who picked on staff including me, I decided not to go in the next day and left, best decision I had made. Got another job fine, in fact I never went back to working in a nursery, I went into nannying instead which is better pay and much better working conditions. Some of these nursery chains treat their staff like crap and pay such a pittance. Definitely leave tonight!