Anyone ever opted out of retail / sunday working?
- Thread starter .SJ
- Start date
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Dec 2002
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- 4,477
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- Kent
When the Sunday working laws came into effect I worked for a place called Charlie Browns, basically a place like Halfords.
I and two others opted out simply because we were so cheesed off with how we were treated at the store. Retail truly sucks.
We came under a lot of pressure from the management. We were the only people to opt out in the whole chain.
The company skrewed up big time on all of this. You will find that large companies will simply tell you how they "think" work regs work. It doesn't mean they are necessarily true and they rely on people never actually testing their assumptions/ lies out.
We did and it resulted in the company having to recall and rewrite both the employee handbooks and change the wording of everyones new contracts.
It sounds petty and we actually lost money as we ended up only working a 4 day week.
Was it worth it?
Hell yes. Sticking it to a company that so truly deserved it was one of the most satisfying moments in my working life.
Asking the union about your options is a very good move. We three joined a union just to help us in this "battle" and they were really good and although the company didn't recognise a union they sure as heck recognised the legal representation the union gave us that ripped the companies illegal working practices apart.
Fond memories.
I and two others opted out simply because we were so cheesed off with how we were treated at the store. Retail truly sucks.
We came under a lot of pressure from the management. We were the only people to opt out in the whole chain.
The company skrewed up big time on all of this. You will find that large companies will simply tell you how they "think" work regs work. It doesn't mean they are necessarily true and they rely on people never actually testing their assumptions/ lies out.
We did and it resulted in the company having to recall and rewrite both the employee handbooks and change the wording of everyones new contracts.
It sounds petty and we actually lost money as we ended up only working a 4 day week.
Was it worth it?
Hell yes. Sticking it to a company that so truly deserved it was one of the most satisfying moments in my working life.
Asking the union about your options is a very good move. We three joined a union just to help us in this "battle" and they were really good and although the company didn't recognise a union they sure as heck recognised the legal representation the union gave us that ripped the companies illegal working practices apart.
Fond memories.
TBH if its a supermarket and you havnt been there 2 years or so expect to be dismissed for some "other" reason and they will just hire someone who WILL work sundays. This is how these places operate so think carefully before you do anything.
If you have not been there long they can just terminate you saying that "you didnt work out" and they dont have to provide any reason. They cant do this to people after 2 years or so though... you gain certain other rights after that time. I and my fellow co workers were fired from the, now bust, RAM computers in fallowfield manchester. They just turned up one day and said that our job were being moved to leeds ( we had been bought out my a big electrical distr) and that we either commuted there every day for no extra money or there is the door.
We consulted some legal people and there was zero we could do... they were very sneaky and back dated letters and things to make it look as if they had followed their own guidlines. We didnt have a leg to stand on since we had to PROVE that they had been dodgy. This kind of thing happens all the time in business... and they get away with it as they often have no morals and no problems with lying and cheating their way to what they want.
If you have not been there long they can just terminate you saying that "you didnt work out" and they dont have to provide any reason. They cant do this to people after 2 years or so though... you gain certain other rights after that time. I and my fellow co workers were fired from the, now bust, RAM computers in fallowfield manchester. They just turned up one day and said that our job were being moved to leeds ( we had been bought out my a big electrical distr) and that we either commuted there every day for no extra money or there is the door.
We consulted some legal people and there was zero we could do... they were very sneaky and back dated letters and things to make it look as if they had followed their own guidlines. We didnt have a leg to stand on since we had to PROVE that they had been dodgy. This kind of thing happens all the time in business... and they get away with it as they often have no morals and no problems with lying and cheating their way to what they want.
Associate
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- 6 Feb 2006
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- 1,727
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- Glasgow
I work in Sainsbury’s nightshift and I used to do Safeway before that and I was under the impression that Sundays (Saturday nights) were optional, unless of course you have already signed a contract saying that you are willing to work them.
I know people who work on nightshift with me that got fed up doing Saturday nights and have just tunred round and said they wont do it anymore, so afaik it is optional
I really wouldn’t take any crap off anyone in there, when I first started managers would try to pressure me into doing extra hours and staying on, I was having none of it, just put your foot down and say no if you don’t want to do it. They cant sack you for that.
I only do one shift a week so I always work Saturday nights, more money
I know people who work on nightshift with me that got fed up doing Saturday nights and have just tunred round and said they wont do it anymore, so afaik it is optional
I really wouldn’t take any crap off anyone in there, when I first started managers would try to pressure me into doing extra hours and staying on, I was having none of it, just put your foot down and say no if you don’t want to do it. They cant sack you for that.
I only do one shift a week so I always work Saturday nights, more money
So they made it clear from the start that the job required you to work saturday night, you signed a contract to say you'd work saturday night, but now you want to force them to switch shifts around and make someone else work the saturday night instead?.SJ said:
Give up the job, let them give it to someone who wants to work.
Mickey said:
You would have thought that would be the simple answer wouldn't you?
When you go for a job at a supermarket you are told when your working hours are.
If the supermarket want to change your working hours they have to give you notice etc.
So before you even accept the job you know if you are expected to work on a Friday/Saturday night etc - I know I certainly wouldn't have accepted a job where I didn't know my hours before signing the contract.
So as far as I can see from the OP:
Takes job that involves Saturday nights
Decides he doesn't want to work Saturday nights
Now wants to attempt to force supermarket to not make him work Saturday nights
With any kind of luck you'll be told where you can get off as there are plenty of people out there who do want to work the hours the supermarkets want.