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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I'm sure you are all going to tell me I am!

25 replies

saltire · 22/09/2008 14:23

I work in a high street store, was taken on as a Christmas temp last year, then kept on permanently in March/
I do 12 hours a week, and up until recently didn't do Saturdays. new manager has decided we have to do 2 in 3 Saturdays - while he works 1 in 4.
Anyway went into work today and my manager says "oh you need to fill in what Sundays you can work in November and December, everyone needs to do 2 each". She put this out on Saturday, after I left and the only 2 Sundays left are the 13th and 20th december.
So That means I will be working Sat6th Dec, Saturday 13th, Sunday 14th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st. And working 6 hours on Christmas Eve, and working Boxing Day. I complained about Boxing Day as I did it last year and the reply was "well last year you were a Christmas temp, it was expected of you, this year you are permanent staff, so need to do your chare".

Now I was hoping to have my CM registration through by then but it seems unlikely, so will need to keep working, but I feel ti's grossly unfair to expect me to work the 2 weekends before Christmas - all weekend.
So am I being unreasonable to feel this is unfair

OP posts:

ImNotOnline · 22/09/2008 14:24

No YANBU to think it unfair, not sure what you can do about it though.

ginnny · 22/09/2008 14:25

No YANBU, but not sure what you can do about it. Contractually they are probably within their rights to do this.
I hate shop work, especially at Christmas.

deanychip · 22/09/2008 14:26

can only speak for myself who has had to work the last 10 chrismas eve, day AND boxing day, plus night shift new years eve

i am a nurse

have no choice

at least you have got xmas day off to spend with your family, more than me and my coleagues

suck it up, get on with it...or leave.

you did ask...

undercovercat · 22/09/2008 14:27

so you are working 12 hours a week and those week your 12 hours are the sat and sun?
Can you do one FULL day, get all your hours done on the sat OR sun?

GrabShellDude · 22/09/2008 14:27

Doesn't seem very fair that you are doing three Saturdays in a row - not sure what you could do about it though.

deanychip · 22/09/2008 14:27

i am depserately fingers crossed begging for christmas day off this coming year... wish me luck.

Romy7 · 22/09/2008 14:27

that's why i left retail lol. but if you only work 12 hours a week, you've got the rest of the time to get organised, haven't you? or have i missed something?

MadBadandDangeroustoKnow · 22/09/2008 14:31

I'm perching on the fence here.

YANBU to be disappointed, as anyone would, at having no clear weekend in December - and it might have been better if your manager had brought out the rota when everybody was there (although is that likely if lots of staff work part-time?) - but, really, whether YABU depends on what your contract and terms and conditions of service say and whether the impact of having to work at weekends has any more impact on you than it does on others.

midnightexpress · 22/09/2008 14:31

That does sound a bit crapola, but does it mean that you would have time off during the week to get things organised for Christmas? I'm guessing that the Shopping Hell would actually be marginally less hellish on weekdays. Though I do appreciate that your concerns are not simply about shopping time before Christmas, but likely to be about spending time with your family too.

Original poster

saltire · 22/09/2008 14:32

Well yes I have got lots of time to be organised, but I would actually like to spend some time before Christmas going to things with my DH and the DSes (who work and are at school during the week) on a weekend.

My 12 hours includes the Saturdays but the 6 hours extra on each Sunday will be extra hours so 18 those weeks and, according to manager "given as time off in lieu, so not even getting paid for it.

oh and they ahve very kindly given me New Years day so, "You can go to Scotland and be with your family because you Scots like New Year".
Which is all very well, but how am I going to get there after work on the 31st and be back to start again at 9am on the 2nd?

OP posts:

JellySnakes · 22/09/2008 14:33

Saltire, I do think that it is a bit unfair of them to expect you to do those hours, especially when you do no weekend work at all atm (I think). I agree with undercovercat, could you do all your hours on either the Sat or the Sun. I know that could make things difficult with child care though. It would at least mean you got one of the days off though. Hope you can sort something out.

Good luck deanychip, I am a nurse too so know what it can be like. Thankfully I am not on a ward any more, work in an outpatient department (paeds oncology) so work weekdays and am entitled to bank holidays off as they fall.

thumbwitch · 22/09/2008 14:33

YANBU but they do like to hammer part-timers. for you but think of the cash, bite the bullet and know it will be the last year it happens.

JellySnakes · 22/09/2008 14:35

Can they do that? I mean expecting you to work extra hours on several occassions without actually getting paid? I don't know, just wondering.

deanychip · 22/09/2008 14:36

jelly, i am in teaching based on ICU and so as they dont need training on xmas day, i have to fill in the gaps.
I am using the fact that i have worked loads of xmas days over the years to stregnthen my argument for xmas day off this year. I am so hoping.

JellySnakes · 22/09/2008 14:37

Surely if you have worked 10 in a row it must be your turn to get one off!

mayorquimby · 22/09/2008 14:37

YABU if you're in retail december is expected to be the busiest time of theyear when staff are needed most.

Original poster

saltire · 22/09/2008 14:38

I never used to wrok Saturdays at all. Was told initially that the new system wouldn't affect me, then I find out it has, and ahve done 2 Saturdays in a row so far.
I only found out that it ahd changed because I checked the work planner, no one told me

On the 11th october I am having to pay a CM to mind my 2 Dses, as DH is away to Guernsey, then another 25th october and 1st November, he is away again, so having to pay more childcare.
My contract is for 12 hours, it doesn't specify days

OP posts:

Ashantai · 22/09/2008 14:44

Welcome to the wonderful world of retail i'm afraid. If i wanted weekends off in December, martians would hear my boss laughing at me!

But at least i am getting paid for it tho. Tis a bit harsh to palm you off with lieu time.

myalias · 22/09/2008 14:48

If your contract doesn't specify days then I'm afraid they can change days when it suits the business. Is there someone that might swap days with you?
It is standard practise that the Christmas rotas require you to be flexible.

sameagain · 22/09/2008 14:53

I think if your reason for not wanting to chnage your hours is childcare commitments, they can't make you. That's what my union told me when my boss was trying to make me change, but I have a standard 9-5 5 day week job.

TheHedgeWitch · 22/09/2008 15:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Dropdeadfred · 22/09/2008 15:29

does your contract specify that you can be requested to work extra hours outside of the 12 hrs? and at no pay?

hifi · 22/09/2008 16:31

yabu, its retail. see if someone will swap.

TheNaughtiestGirlKeepsaSecret · 22/09/2008 16:33

I used to work in retail years ago, and my boss said to me "if I could do without you on boxing day I could do without you."

mummyhill · 22/09/2008 16:46

Unfortunately if you work in retail, care/medicine or catering you are going to end up doing shifts you don't want to over Christmas. I work for a major supermarket chain and we are not permitted to book any leave over the Christmas or Easter period. The only option is to try and get a shift swap or quit.

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