AIBU to ask for bank holiday pub shift off for Arsenal?

[CollectingAllTheACEs]

I have a second job in a pub/restaurant that I work in around 6-10 hours a week on top of my full-time NHS role. I am paid fairly well but like everyone my CoL has gone up massively and I'm a single woman too. I also like expensive things/botox/nice holidays, etc. and my second job is also quite sociable. On the upcoming bank holiday Sunday there is a music and beer festival from 2pm which is likely to go on well into the early hours - we were told absolutely no holiday requests for that weekend. For context, I only usually do 11-4 Friday, Saturday, Sunday (usually 1 or 2 but never all 3). I get between £50-£100 a week which is nice to have.

I'm also a massive Arsenal fan. Have been my entire life. I know football isn't a big thing on MN but it can be substituted for any hobby that you love and feel passionate about. For the first time in 22 years, we may win the league with the game that's being played at 4pm ON BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY. I have sent my boss (who I'd been friends with for a long time before I worked there and who knows how much it means to me) a pleading message saying that I would happily work the Friday/Saturday/Monday and/or until 3:30 on the Sunday but PLEASE could I have the Sunday night off (there are five or six other members of bar staff and we will be open from 11am serving food until 4pm - you couldn't fit all of us behind the bar). She's basically said sorry but nobody can have time off, but then said she's doing the shifts this week and can't promise anything...

I feel like she IBU to not make an allowance for something that hasn't happened for 22 years and I'm honestly tempted to just quit if she doesn't allow it. I can get another job fairly easily but probably not cash in hand/with as much usual flexibility. I just don't know what to do.

To add I probably am in a bit of a 'fuck it' mood right now as I've just started a new main job which feels full of completely incompetent people and it's pissing me off, also waiting on the results which will likely say my mum has a brain tumour so you know... shrugs

They might win the Premier League but they won’t beat PSG in the Champions League final on 30 May 🤭 Sorry that’s no help but I love PSG ❤️

As an Arsenal fan, I agree you should have the day off!!

But seriously, I guess I wouldn’t expect my job to take that into account for me. This is one of the cons of working weekends. I hope she does give you the time off!

I would quit if she doesn't give you it off. She'll probably take you back anyway. This is a serious matter! (Not being sarcastic)

Well I definitely don’t think you are being unreasonable. I’ll also be out that day hoping to celebrate.

Sorry about your Mum and I hope it’s better news than you expected.

Is there a compromise? Can you finish early? Can you beg a colleague for a swap or ask them to do an extra hour or two? in return for a swap for them later?

Doesn't sound like she expects you there all 4 days and will take your request into account.

If she doesn't, quit.

I’d just quit if she doesn’t let you, you don’t ’need’ the money anyway. Hopefully she will be annoyed but allow it rather than letting you quit

I don't see it as holiday/time off request. You typically don't work all days, you are not available on Sunday afternoon.

If you only work 11-4, then you don’t need time off? Or is the boss expecting you to work extra hours even though they aren’t your normal pattern? And not giving you any choice over it?

Missing the point but if you work 5 hours, how do you only earn ‘from £50’?! Do you not get minimum wage?

You're probably right but ironically I can have that whole weekend off 😂

@DialSquare love your username!

@Specialagentblond I've said I can work until 3:30 or even 3:45 at a push - as long as I'm in the pub for kick off (different pub, we don't have sky sports) I would even maybe miss the beginning if I had to. We don't get our rotas until the Monday before so I'll have to wait until next Monday....

@Shinyandnew1 minimum wage but I pay 40% tax due to my other earnings. And yes she expects all hands on deck with it being a special event regardless of whether it's your normal shift or not. There was a party recently and I luckily got away with working 1-9pm, some of the others were there until after 4am. That doesn't help my cause as I wasn't the late finisher that day either (although others finished earlier than me)

You can ask for the day off and your work can either say yes or no

So worst case scenario you’ll miss the first 15 minutes? I’d say pick your battles.

Absolutely not unreasonable. Go Arsenal. Hope your boss realises how important this is for you.

What kind of contract are you on? Is there a minimum number of hours you are expected to work? Do you have the “right” to say No to shifts ?

I would leave too!

@SpecialagentblondOP has offered to work most of the day until 3.30 or 3.45. Her boss has said it’s all day only. So OP has a battle to fight.

Def take it off-of course you should. 🙏

A lot of the pubs near the ground are ticketed so make sure you can get in!!

I have the problem of a family wedding on May 30 during CL final in a remote venue with one telly in basement...

And join us here- you may get more sympathy- although not about arsenal 😂

www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/5512151-the-rolling-football-thread-season-202526-thread-4?reply=152272556

Is watching Arsenal a nicer “nice to have” than Botox / holidays / expensive things? If so then it makes total sense to quit if you can’t have the time off.

You don’t need this job to pay your bills or put food on the table. It is not an important rung in your desired career ladder. You do it simply to enhance your life. And missing Arsenal will massively detriment your life.

Hopefully she will sort it so you can have the Sunday afternoon off / sure many will want the Monday off so if she does put you on Sunday then hopefully can swap

but if you never work the 3 shifts or 4 including Monday it would be mean if she made you work the Sunday

tho giving a weeks notice isn’t helpful why are the shifts given so late

ps my brother is a huge arsenal fan and got given tickets last tue may 5th i think it was , for some massive match - guessing that’s the one they won to go into Sundays match ?

@Specialagentblond no - worse case scenario I'm in there all night and don't see any of it

@ExtraOnions I don't have a formal contract as it's just 'helping out a friend'

@MrsMitford3 I'm in a small town in the back end of nowhere - wish I was anywhere near the ground! I might be the only one interested round here 😂

@Blondeshavemorefun no that final is 30th May which thankfully I can have off! But I'm jealous at anyone being given tickets - they're like gold dust!

No meant he got tickets for last Tuesday match. Over a grands worth

I had a job like this. That was a bit of extra income. It was sociable, but I didn’t need the job. I quit a couple weeks ago because I was annoyed About something minor to be honest, but the novelty had worn off - It was also starting to get in the way of my plans with my new boyfriend. So I quit I don’t regret it and I can find another second job if I need it.

So yes, I would say if you don’t get your own way, just quit - But quit in advance so that they have the opportunity to fill the gap. You don’t need the job you have a main job and you can find something else. Maybe quit and then ask your job back after the match 😅

@sundaysurfing this is the second of this type of job I've had and like you I quit the first one due to minor issues - I would never have been refused the time off in that job!

If you don't need the money I'd quit but definitely hold your horses. There is a chance we do it on Monday or Tuesday and therefore there would be lots of celebrations before the final game. If Crystal Palace manage a draw then Monday will be the big day we might get it done!

I'm keeping everything I have crossed that Palace will do us a favour tonight! I won't get my shifts until Monday night next week so I'll just have to hope she's listened to me.

We live up north and were considering getting hospitality tickets for the Burnley game IF that was looking like when we might win it - they were £2k initially but they've gone and the cheapest is now £3k which we just can't justify even in the current 'fuck it' mode and for a once in 22 years experience!