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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU - maybe so im posting late into the night...

21 replies

pickyvic · 27/06/2009 23:43

work issue - AIBU

my only colleague was full time until i came on the scene - she did monday - saturday with weds off
she then chose to work tues - fri while i fill the gaps. i never get 2 days in a row and im so absolutely sick of working saturdays - especially so as my DH has had to start working sundays. i do mon, tues, thurs and sat. both myself and my colleague have kids of around the same age.

in light of this - i asked if she would consider doing alternate saturdays. she said no.
so i then asked if she would consider swapping her wednesday for my monday so i get sunay/monday together.

another resounding no.
she says she isnt budging. leaves me with no alternative but to look for another job - i may aswell be working full time mon - fri and have weekends with my family.
she called me selfish to ask. was i being unreasonable? if i leave she will once again have to do every saturday unless my boss can find another mug...im on less money than i was 10 years ago - am skilled in my job but am also totally disillusioned as my boss is money grabbing....his practice goes against all my training (long story which i wont bore you with).
im only working 4 days (but am only contracted for 3 so i lose out on any hols i book) but it feels relentless as i never get 2 days off together and im a special to boot so have to do some hours for the police. (ive just passed the first stage of the police recruitment process but arn't telling work that - its a very very long process anyway IF i do get through)

ive been there for 8 months but he has kept me on probation despite being in practice for the last 10 years. we recently had a locum who came and he did a day - at the end of the day he said i was wasted in this place and he cancelled his other dates - its a shambles and it seemed he could see it too. should i be moaning when so many are out of work? should i put up and shut up? was i unreasonable to ask for a fairer split of hours? there are only 2 of us there....should one get exactly what they want while the other is used to fill the crappy hours? all opinions welcome - i need some perspective.
thanks.

OP posts:

hercules1 · 27/06/2009 23:45

Difficult one. How were your days agreed? If I were her I would selfishly not swap with you as this is her contract which has been agreed and you agreed to yours.

slowreadingprogress · 27/06/2009 23:46

why is it up to your colleague? Isn't it your boss who would have the say-so on working patterns to ensure fairness and staff retention?

Yurtgirl · 27/06/2009 23:47

YANBU to at least ask colleague as you did
She is being rather stubborn and annoying

You are lucky to have a job in current climate but I agree it isnt a great working environment for you - esp the bit about not wanting to still be on probation

I would actively seek another job and put up with this for now (ask colleague nicely again and find out why she wont budge, explain why you want her too etc)

HTH

moondog · 27/06/2009 23:48

If you are both doing the same job and have simiar family circumstances, then it seems horridly unreasonable not to share the Saturdays.

Are you a member of a union? That would be my first port of call.

Singstar · 27/06/2009 23:48

It sounds like your boss is being a bit unfair in your contract - why are you on probation still ? Is it to protect his notice period ?

I think you should maybe ask you boss about swapping your days - ultimately its his decision ? Or are you worried the decision won't go your way ? God sorry so many questions for such a late hour

BananaFruitBat · 27/06/2009 23:48

IMO YANBU.

But I think you should look for another job.

Original poster

pickyvic · 27/06/2009 23:55

ta for quick replies

no union - its a tiny company

ive already asked boss and he wont upset colleague (his words)
i think she is a bit of a "yes" man, sunshines out of her arse.

no idea why im still on probation - when i asked him to explain he said " just one or two niggly things" but would not elaborate when i pressed. i asked how i could put those things right when he wouldnt tell me but i suspect it was an excuse.

i am good at my job. my colleague in bitch mode said i was "too good" and i "know too much". when i said it didnt matter to my boss she said "why should it?"
she is a bitch to put it politely.
im actively seeking alternative employment. but times are hard and ive had loads of interviews and lots of near misses but not got another job!
thing is when i leave she will have to do all the weekends herself again anyway! seems mad to me but there you go.

OP posts:

applepudding · 27/06/2009 23:55

If I was your colleague I would probably have agreed a swap,say every other week, as long as this didn't give me extra child care costs, but then I'm a nice person! .

As hercules says, if her hours were agreed before you started, and if you agreed your hours at the point you began work, then your colleague has no obligation to change her hours to suit you, and it may be that within her family life she needs to work the days that she does.

I don't quite gather from your post what kind of work you do,but if I were you I think I would probably be looking around for something/somewhere with hours which would fit better into family life.

Original poster

pickyvic · 28/06/2009 00:01

my boss has chopped and changed my hours on an almost monthly basis. ive been totally flexible but feel more and more resentful as time goes by.
im in optics. but if i leave ive decided ive had enough of optics tbh. would go back to office work or reception work.

i was only asking for every other saturday. when that failed i thought swapping so i got mondays off was the next best thing.

we had a blazing row and she said i wont stop till i "get my way" but i dont see the point in forcing her to swap then resenting me. that being the case i may as well leave - but i know my boss had a very hard time getting any experienced staff.
tough though eh! some people want their bloody cake and eat it dont they?

OP posts:

slowreadingprogress · 28/06/2009 00:05

your boss sounds totally unprofessional

btw you should IMO join a union - it doesn't matter what work you do or the size of company - I say protect yourself by being in a union! TGWU or Unison or Unite are the names that spring to mind.

moondog · 28/06/2009 00:10

There's a union for everybody.

Original poster

pickyvic · 28/06/2009 00:15

so what would a union do for me? ive never been in one.

OP posts:

moondog · 28/06/2009 00:17

Er,protect your rights.
Look into it woman.

gigglewitch · 28/06/2009 00:20

spot on moondog
take a look at unison for starters?

Original poster

pickyvic · 28/06/2009 00:21

will do moondog...just union did sod all for DH when he was unfairly dismissed eons ago...(im taling 20 years ago!) cos the company was shutting down - saved em a massive redundancy payout by sacking him and union was bloody useless....

that said ill look into it

so is the consensus of opinion so far that im not/wasnt being unreasonable....
if so i feel slightly better....still need another job though.

OP posts:

applepudding · 28/06/2009 00:27

Doesn't a company have to recognise a union for there to be any point in joining one? I work in local govt and have always been union member but my DH who is engineer has worked for some places which are unionised and others where he says they don't recognise union so there would be no point.

Pickyvic - well you would think that if your boss finds it hard to recruit experienced staff that he'd treat you a bit better then wouldn't you? Find yourself another job and sod the pair of them I think!

Original poster

pickyvic · 28/06/2009 00:35

thanks.

i am really trying to find alternative employment.
it just really really annoys me that she gets sat, sun and mon off each week while im plugging the gaps, slogging away (and trust me he has us slogging - when im in working its just me - i cover reception, phone, anyone who walks in while trying to professionally dispense...not easy and i feel like wearing roller skates some days.)

ive come really close to getting a few other jobs but while feedback has been great ive still not got them! id cheerfully tell them both where to stick it otherwise.

OP posts:

Original poster

pickyvic · 29/06/2009 19:24

hope this is ok but i'm giving this a bump. just wondered what others thoughts were really. colleague has been sweetness and light...but im still doing shite hours!

got another "thanks for applying but no thanks" today and am slightly disheartened. when ive got interviews the feedback has been good and one potential employer rang me at 7,30 pm one evening to tell me she couldn't decide between me and another candidate! (you can tell who got that one cant you....)

OP posts:

Kimi · 29/06/2009 19:43

I would find another job (not easy at the moment I know, then walk out without notice stright after pay day and leave the bitch in the shit

Original poster

pickyvic · 29/06/2009 19:46

kimi thanks....thats very tempting!

OP posts:

Kimi · 29/06/2009 19:59

Oh and make sure you use up any holiday you have too.

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