How can I politely say no to this request?

[Fedupandstressed]

I’m an Ea for our SLT. I volunteered a couple of years ago to be ‘milk monitor’, as in taking their £5/month and buying the milk, tea, coffee and biccies for the 9 of us. No issues so far. I nip to Asda twice a week on the way to work. I get the bus btw and all the money goes via a dedicated tea fund Revolut.

Now a fairly new member of SLT, has asked the other departments (over 100 people) if they want to join to save on the multiple milk situation in the fridge, and asked me to organise this. So I’d have to organise a regular delivery and payment AND be responsible for chasing every single person for their money!

I'm not a purchasing clerk, or what they’re called. I do this for our team voluntarily.

How do I politely say that sorry, but it’s beyond my remit!

Tell me you work in private industry without telling me: ‘I’ve never worked anywhere where the employer doesn’t provide tea/coffee/milk’
Public sector: 👀

I’m an Ea for our SLT.

Well, that's clear then 🤔

This looks fine to me.

more polite than my knee jerk reaction of laughing and asking if they're fucking joking!

Well I'm not in the UK and haven't since 1992 but I read it as executive assistant for the senior leadership team.

We used to do similar to "encourage" people to sign out and sign back in as part of our staff protection lone worker system. Most recent screw up bought biscuits.

I’ve joined a big rotation and it got completely out of hand some people were using the milk for those porridge sachets and taking home the nicer biscuits. I refused to pay as I turned up on Friday and there wasn’t any milk left. I think it’s much easier in small groups as people less likely to take the piss.

I thought it was an some sort of assistant for speech and language therapists. Your interpretation makes much more sense.

could be that as well

Same here.

I ended up as milk monitor. Paying the milk bill - as I lived on the same street and had the same milkman. I forget how milk money was collected - it was 30 years ago.

I was de facto treasurer of staff association. The unsaid promise was that if anyone complained, wanted it auditing then they got the job.

Later we got a drinks machine. I cleaned it, ordered supplies from the kitchens, paid bills, took bags of cash down to the bank. It was a good idea but I ended up spending a fair amount of time each week on it.

Best system…. One of the kitchen staff came in early and made flap jacks. She made break time tea and coffee. She sorted out all the cash, kitchens sorted out finances. Zero stress or worries.

I also did diary and planner orders. Biggest nightmare….. They came in a selection of colours. Some of my colleagues were so fussy about the colour they wanted. Others ordered late - but expected the same discounted price that the big order qualified for.

I assumed it meant Estate Agent for senior leadership team! 😆

We had a kitty on a smaller scale 12-15 folk and had a rota set up so we were all milk monitor for a month , but shops were right next to work . 100 people is way to many ,maybe smaller groups would work , you couldn’t carry the milk etc needed for 100

We had a tea and coffee pot, so many people didn’t pay, i was often left out of pocket.

Then we had like PP says some worked part-time, so would pay the set fee, then we had Linda, Linda didn’t drink hot drinks so felt she shouldn’t have to pay, only she used the milk for breakfast. Then when we had visitors, they used the staff paid for tea and coffee.

Fucking nightmare!!!

Buy your own.

I don't want to derail OP, but I'm having flashbacks to lottery syndicate collection, absolute nightmare.

There are organisations out there that don't even offer tea / coffee & milk to their employees? That’s wild…. Sorry if Im being ignorant. Is this common?

Yes public sector jobs don’t provide it you provide your own. I suppose argument is we shouldn’t use taxpayer money on none essentials. I’ve never really given it much thought.
Pay for own Christmas meal out too.

Isn't it Executive Assistant? My late DH had an EA in his job, so I assumed that's what it is. Sometimes they are shared, as in the OP's case,

Any chance at all of persuading your employers to pay? After all, that's what happens in most workplaces.

At my school we do get tea and coffee. I realised a couple weeks ago (I’ve only been there a term) we don’t get milk, need to find out the system when I get back!

I had a boss who wanted a microwave for the department, business manager said that wasn’t an acceptable use of public funds, we’d have to personally fund it. No perks allowed in the public sector. But you know holidays and pensions.

Im police and they provide a hot tap and a microwave. Not even a toaster. I work in a department of over 100 and that would be a nightmare to navigate. Everyone working different days / patterns and the variety of milks that you’d have to have available. It’s a no from me.
( if I knew milk was SLT I would use it though because my lot are so tight they don’t even buy a tin of quality street at Christmas for their own support staff )

Exactly that.
Sorry, but it’s beyond my remit!

I'm also disgusted to see how many people work in companies who don't provide anything. Everywhere I've ever worked has provided, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar and two types of milk, sometimes more. And most have had coffee machines. The toaster I understand as that is a H&S issue

That's terrible, and just a basic. I'd prefer a happy workforce if my taxes are being paid for their salaries and to attract decent people. It explains alot

if you multiply it by all public sector employees I bet most people would have a problem with them having a brew paid for by tax payers.
we don’t expect it, but this is why small groups coordinated by one person work for brew funds.
OP I bet whoever the CF who suggested it is, is using it as an example for their promotion board….

Emergency services - we have a microwave and hot tap, that’s it

That's disgusting. I feel very ashamed as a taxpayer. I'd be interested to know if politicians have to fund their own cuppa.