Transport strikes

[Tg2023]

Buses in my area have started a 7 day strike today.
I've informed my LM that I'll be taking unpaid leave because I have no way of getting to work.
She's now replied telling me I'll have to take annual leave, I've said no as it's out of my control and told her I'll speak with HR since than no reply from her.
Who's right?

Bump

You are wrong.

You can’t just ‘inform them you’re taking unpaid leave’! It’s rude apart from anything else.

Lots of people have to use annual leave for things outside their control (sick kids, house moves, whatever). It’s not just for time on the beach.

How's it rude to let them know in advance I can't make it in?
It's out of my control

You've possibly gone about this the wrong way if you presented it to your manager as a fait accompli, but in my opinion, unpaid leave would be a fair approach.

Another approach might be to make the time up - obviously this may or may not be feasible. I am assuming WFH is not an option.

@OnAFrolicOfMyOwn
Yeah I just wanted to give her a heads up. These strikes have been being debated for a few weeks so it's not that they weren't aware.
Yesterday they said they are going ahead with a 7 day strike.
I accept I'll be unpaid but I think it's unreasonable to expect me to use my annual leave for transport strikes.

I would be facing a disciplinary if I did this in my job-I would be expected to find another way in-walk, lift, train, taxi.

If you are in a union, you can ring them for advice.

Walk, get a cab hire a car lift share cycle plenty of options. Perhaps if you had asked they would have been more open to a conversation around it and a compromise. But if you want to be paid it would be annual leave anywhere I have worked.

Agree with pp’s. You can’t just inform your manager you are taking time off! Can’t you wfh or use an alternative method of transport? Maybe the company will split the cost of a taxi with you?

Walk, get a cab hire a car lift share cycle plenty of options

Not sure you can say that without knowing how far the OP has to travel, whether she can drive, and whether anyone lives on her route to car share.

She won't be walking in if it's, say, an hour on the train!

@Shinyandnew1 I don't live in the city where I work I live in a town far outside it. My usual bus commute takes 1hr 10mins so I certainly won't be walking. I can't afford taxis there & back from Monday-Friday.

Well, since unpaid leave is not a legal right in the UK and it is typically subject to the employer’s discretion, if they say no, you won’t be entitled to it.

How long have you been working there?

@Shinyandnew1 A little over 10 years.

Pull a sickie for the week

Are you in a union?
Is there scope to WFH?

I think you will almost certainly have to take this as annual leave though. At least you have the option of doing that-I can’t take annual leave in my job, so would be seriously stuffed if I was in your shoes.

I work in NHS.
If strikes are going ahead and we have plenty notice it's made VERY clear to us we have to make alternative arrangements to get to work. Midwives, medical and nursing staff can't just take time off.
We are expected to arrange to get to work via a lift/cycle/stay in premier inn/stay with colleague. In exceptional circumstances they'll fund taxis. They'll also set up car-sharing rotas.

I would ask your employer for suggestions how they can help you get to work. They may be able to give you some help to save you losing money/annual leave as there may be more strikes in coming months

Yep-same in education. I can’t just not turn up to teach my class because there is a transport strike somewhere. I can’t work from home or take annual leave either, so would just be expected at work as normal.

Take a taxi and try to arrange a lift partway. If the bus takes over an hour is it the same company as striking all the way, or could you taxi/lift as far as a connection

There is no right to unpaid leave. You actually don't even have a right to annual leave either. Getting to work is, in law, your problem and not the employers.

I think it is your attitude that is the problem here. If I informed my workplace I would ve taking a week unpaid because of bus strikes they would not be impressed at all. If I went to my manager and said I have a problem, I cant get to work next week because the buses are on strike and I can't afford taxis they would have worked with me to find a solution.

The line manager is correct.

I bent over backwards trying to find ways to avoid staff unable to attend from having to take AL, but the company wasn't authorising unpaid (and they don't have to) and there really was no way round.

I was even told, rather unsympathetically, that the whole point of strike action is that it inconveniences people and affected staff needed to just live with it.

Can you find any way at all to get it? Taxi to somewhere where you can pick up a different form of public transport, or home of someone you can get a lift with?

Is it better to pay for taxis, even if all the way, as it might cost less than the loss of a day's wages?

Can you borrow a bicycle? Obviously not suitable if the route has to be done mainly on fast dual carriageways, but if the 1hr plus bus route is one that goes via normal roads and through several other towns/villages en route, then bike might be suitable.

Oh, and ask around - there might be others in your town in the same predicament, and taxi share could work

😂😂😂 too late they already know about the strikes.

Sorted it with HR who've put it down as special leave 😁 think my LM was being a bit of a dick as I've know our company to give unpaid leave for a variety of reasons out of an employees control.