Where do i stand - work related?

wez130

wez130

wez130

Soldato
Joined
31 Jan 2004
Posts
11,316
Location
Matakana New Zealand
I started a new job 2 months ago - (i know i have no real rights yet!). I have my son on my 2 days off work which are sundays and fridays, these have been my regular days off since the start, however, i have still not been given a written contract.

Now, things have been going on in the background which directly affect my role at work, but have yet to be made public to me, i know what's going on but my employers dont know that i know, nor have they said anything, they are not a big company, just a restaurant and i'm a chef there. The head chef is leaving and my employers (and myself) have known about this for over a week now, he leaves this Thursday. This leaves only 2 chefs in the kitchen, myself and another one.

Last night after my shift, one of the waitresses asked me if i was working this Friday, this was in earshot of my bosses, i said no, as obviously, i've not been approached or anything by them. To which, one of the bosses said ' oh yes you are!'. I said pardon?, i can't work this friday, i have my son, as i do every friday. the boss replied 'well you better sort something out because we need you in, we've got a table of 18 booked in and you can't expect David to cope on his own'. I replied, well i'm sorry, i don't mind working fridays, but i cannot do this friday, my ex partner works for the NHS and has to organise around her shifts 3 weeks in advance, so i need at least to know a couple of weeks before if you need me to work a shift i don't normally work.

Now this to me is completely out of order and i'd rather not work for a company that acts in this way, there has been so much sneaking about, like i said, work have known about this situation for well over a week now and leave it to a chance conversation to tell me i'm working. Well, it's left me livid and i'm not going to go in, they can sack me for all i care but at the end of the day, blowing my own trumpet aside, i'm a good chef and an asset to them, it's their loss and chef jobs are ten a penny. It's a bit gutting though coz it's a lovely place to work apart from the bosses!

any advice in this situation?
 
If you are a good chef i doubt you will find it hard to get another job. IF they cannot treat you with respect then give em the finger.
 
Oh i won't struggle to find a job, my head chef that's leaving has offered me a job, he's going to Rockliffe hall in Hurworth, Darlington, which to those who don't know it, will look very good on my CV, it's just further to travel though. It's just the messing on with changing jobs i'm trying to avoid.
 
Best thing is to ask for a sit down meeting with owners/mangers and discuss the future. Will either clear the air or make it clear that you should take the other offer.

As long as you haven't hopped around too much most employers will understand someone moving to a better position.
 
Get yourself across to Kenny Atkinsons Orangery at Rockcliffe, should be a great boost for the CV working for a (two?) michelin starred chef
 
To be fair, this is pretty normal for the industry. Been doing it 8 years, expected to work ridiculous hours, boss' are usually complete goons, not to mention the lack of job security especially at the moment with a lot of restaurants struggling for business.

The plus side is that it's relatively easy to get a chef's job, so it's not really worth stressing about if you want to walk out.
 
if they've been like this from the start its only going to get worse.

Set your stall out, this is what i do on weekends, this is what the mother of my child works, this is how much notice i need, no i cant do this weekend as you havent given me enough notice.

Then leave it up to them to accept it. If they dont and start threatenning just call their bluff and ask them if they want you to walk out now. If they do call it, its their loss as "David" is going to HAVE to cope on his own all the time while they find a replacement for both of you.
 
You have them over a barrel, they are one chef down already, if you leave they may have to close!

Sit down and get it agreed and written / signed that you will not have to work any fridays or sundays, if possible - offer to help out for 1-2 weeks while they get a replacement for the guy who has left.

TBH, you should have been asking whats happening to the guy leaving and who was coming in to replace him. Sounds like you stuck your head in the sand when common sense dictated you should have expected to have to come in to work this friday.
 
MrLOL said:
if they've been like this from the start its only going to get worse.

Set your stall out, this is what i do on weekends, this is what the mother of my child works, this is how much notice i need, no i cant do this weekend as you havent given me enough notice.

Then leave it up to them to accept it. If they dont and start threatenning just call their bluff and ask them if they want you to walk out now. If they do call it, its their loss as "David" is going to HAVE to cope on his own all the time while they find a replacement for both of you.
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This really. It at least shows that you have tried to sort the situation, I wouldn't just walk out. And as MrLOL said, 'David' will have to cope on his own if you leave.
 
Showboat said:
TBH, you should have been asking whats happening to the guy leaving and who was coming in to replace him. Sounds like you stuck your head in the sand when common sense dictated you should have expected to have to come in to work this friday.
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The manager should have asked him. The clue is in the job title.

The manager should have managed the problem. Instead they did nothing and assumed he would work days he doesn't normally work.

I'd say it was extremely disrespectful of them personally.
 
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