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mizzyme

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  1. I work for a supermarket. On Sundays, the staff shortage is a total joke. On Sunday, just THREE of us were on checkouts all day. One of them was from another store. Two colleagues are on holiday and two on sick. One of them we are very doubtful she will ever return. See another post by me about the issue. Then had two colleagues dismissed one for non attendance and another for headbutting a customer. Colleagues have left the store in various depts and not being replaced. I cannot cope anymore. The management are not supportive or care for my well being. I had a migraine that developed during the day which I still have some of it remaining now. I am not one for developing headaches and only had one migraine before when stressful times in my family 18 years ago. Customers are being forced to use self scan - though there's a kiosk which is only for small transactions. Customers should not be forced to use self scans like this. We are losing customers, not even changed their shopping day. It's getting beyond the joke now as been going on for 3 months when the dismissed colleague for non attendance was dismissed and the constantly sick one went on sick again. Sundays are the worst for staff shortage. No one wants to do overtime anymore in my store. The shortage is causing my anxiety to get worse (on antidepressants) and affecting my physical health. I just want to leave retail as well as the staff shortages, we are getting more rude and abusive customers. Then I heard this Sunday, its THREE staff again - esp its Fathers Day. I am dreading the abuse from customers who have NO CLUE in how stressed we are. Its going be like this next few weeks unless the management pull their fingers out as the regular staff all have annual booked in July, Aug and Sept, which is the norm for all employers. I am certainly DREADING these times. No idea what to look for in terms of work as certainly don't want work in retail ever again - 14 years. Then my previous roles have been in call centres, which I deemed too old to work for them now (early 40s) as I remember from my CC the oldest colleague was 3 years older than me. Also done admin work. Nor I want to do sales - customer or business. I use computers a lot outside work, but potential employers want experience of computer work in work which not done since I started my current role. No to care work either. Any ideas or organisations that take free or cheap career advice will be brilliant. As my store has a staff shortage, the management rely on certain staff to do certain things. I am one of these. Leaving the store will be a massive shock to the management as I do the work of three colleagues as when I'm off - annual leave or sickness, they can't cope.
  2. We know that the colleague isn’t responding to any contact as the managers have said so. On the last occasion, her husband answered the phone and manager heard her in the background asking her husband to put the phone down! Why do you think the two colleagues that knew of her gallbladder and bile duct surgery should get disciplined? When each employee has all their sick notes and returning to work interview notes from the beginning. All it needs is a manager to go through all her notes and notices she can’t produce gallstones. As myself had both gallbladder and bile duct removed. i don’t think this colleague knows what implications she is causing or what we think of her. As she’s in her own selfish world and she cares for nothing about the team. Whilst we are team players and don’t mind doing certain things. On the very few times she has been in, she contributes to very little. Also another thing she does regularly is to say she needs to visit the loo, when she has been in the canteen (no canteen staff) having a coffee. We have to tannoy her back to the dept. Management have caught her doing this and is on her records. Plus her lateness. Five minutes before her shift should end - remember she never makes up the time she’s late, she constantly moans about who is taking her off. Every colleague and management are fed up with her antics. The store management’s hands are tied by HR and they understand our frustrations with her. Even when the manager received the latest sick note, she looked stressed.
  3. My colleagues and myself are very annoyed with a colleague. She is lying to both her GP and my employer by getting sick notes for ‘gallstones’ when she is looking after her grandsons. Her retired husband does nothing around the house. This colleague and two others were transferred to my current store when their previous store closed 18-20 years ago and at this time, she had her gallbladder and bile duct removed. How can her GP issue sick note for something she can’t produce (gallstones) anymore?? This colleague only worked about 6 months out of 15 months. She only worked a max of two months before she is off again. When she’s at work, she is late for her shifts, never made up the time, made feeble excuses, upset customers and is a liability. She is on a final written warning back in Feb. She’s not answering her phone at home (she doesn’t have a mobile) or letters sent. Only time we ‘hear’ from her, is when her neighbour hands in another sick note. Colleague lives a few miles from work. If anyone else did the same thing, we would have been dismissed. I think she’s getting SSP as full sick pay lasts 6 months. The two colleagues who worked with her at the previous store did approach the previous store manager who said he can’t do nothing. What do you suggest. We won’t be happy if we see her at work
  4. I’m back at work. The manager who did my returning back interview did not put the sickness towards the triggers. Did say that if the store will need any building work which creates dust and fumes, to notify me and discuss options. There’s about 8 stores within 30 mins drive.
  5. Ok my managers know of my asthma. Though never had an asthma attack at work like that. Asthma has got worse - probably had covid a few days before 1st lockdown. No test centres for 40 plus miles at the time. I have messaged my union rep - also an employee at the store. She is going to put this as a incident and look at any risk assessments done. Plus asked for colleagues that witnessed/helped me during the attack to get their side of the story. As I was in shock and not fully understanding what was going on. The refit has been a bit of a shambles imo. No clear plans so literally some rooms needed to be emptied immediately when contractors were told they are there to do the floor, paint the walls etc. We were told to empty lockers. Then they were taken away with no replacement. Staff not happy with leaving personal stuff in offices.
  6. I work in retail. At the moment, the store is going through a refit - both on the shop floor and staff areas. The dust from removing old fixtures, sawing of various materials plus the solvent fumes from paint, glues etc has caused the asthma attack. The bulk of the work is happening when shop is closed for trade. I had my scheduled days off as per normal and thought that being away from that environment was going to help my health as was really struggling on the day before my days off. It did not help. Now I am on a first written warning, which expires in late summer for my absences of anxiety and severe chest infections. Employer dropped the verbal warning some years ago. I should not go through disciplinary for this as its a health n safety issue. Before anyone asks why I didn't wear a mask. I struggle wearing one for 30 mins. The face shields give me headaches as can't cope with the curvature of the shield. Now in the past, when a shop went through a refit, it closed for about 7-10 days, depending on size and work required. I think its certainly profit over HnS. The doctor I saw in the drop in centre (rang 111 for appt) said to stay away from work for a few days and certainly the dust and solvents contributed to the attack! Now, what shall I do? I belong to the union.
  7. After the manager told me about my sanction, he asked me did I want to carry on doing the papers. He was understandable about my reason - some colleagues will find it uncomfortable about me doing it. Most of my colleagues are lovely, but everyone does not like the snitch. I have been in workplaces where ALL the female colleagues are nasty pieces of work, like her. No wonder I left these places 10-19 months after I started.
  8. Sorry about the delay. Have been busy. Plus my internet has been playing up The three of us all of got the first written warning - lasting 6 months. The reason was that customers needed to buy the paper to get the coupons and if they found out colleagues were helping themselves to coupons/tokens etc in unsold papers, it will be bad for us. 1stWW is the lowest sanction applied to gross misconduct. A few points which came up: . The fact finding was not done correctly. When a fact finding is done, it's informal and there is no note taker. There was a note taker present at mine and another colleague's. Cannot comment about the 3rd one as not spoken to her. The TUR said once a note taker is present - it's classed as a proper investigation. I was not given any opportunity to get a rep - either the union rep who was at work at the time or another colleague. The shop manager that conducted the disciplinary was not bothered about this. . There was nothing in any of my employer's documents about newspapers. The TUR does other shops in the county and said when he has been waiting for his client in the canteen, he has noticed newspapers with gaps in them - is not just coupons. TV guides, 1D posters etc. . Was not given full training, which included a signing off booklet. I have never seen or filled one in. I only started doing newspapers when the regular colleague that did it for 2 days was on long term sick last year. Then another colleague that did the other days when I was there, moved depts, so I was kinda roped into it full time. I have requested not to do the papers anymore as they belong to another department. It's that department's responsibility and problem as I am concerned now. Also if there are any incomplete papers, they are locked away until the other papers are processed. If colleagues want to buy a paper for themselves, they need to get their receipt and staple it to the front of the paper and take it away with them when their break is over. I have heard another supervisor snitched on me when the team leader dropped her token on the floor in the cloakroom and she picked it up and noticed what it was. They found my application form, which I filled in Autumn 2008 and they did question why I did tick 'no' to the have you got a disability. The reason is that I ticked no is because many employers see a yes and stuff the application form in the reject pile. They presume people with disabilities are thick, useless etc. I did an experiment for one job about 8 years ago - same company, same job, same pay, but different locations (bank branches). One application form I ticked yes and the other no. Guess which one I got an interview? The one where I ticked no! Just shows that the people that looked at the application forms just went for the disabilities - no mention of applying for another branch during the interview. At previous jobs, I was able to have a quiet word with a manager within a 2 weeks of starting about my dyslexia. I never had the opportunity to do so as I was away from my place of work and working at other shops doing refits (staying overnight at hotels) for the first 7 weeks of my working life. Then I completely forgot about it. Many colleagues are disgusted about the treatment of the three of us. Taking clippings from newspapers has happened everywhere. One former colleague told me that a manager that worked in the shop took home full papers unpaid! She was the deputy manager and did this with two papers each day (national and local) she was in. She was with the shop for 2.5 years and did this most days. This manager is still working for the company as I have googled her name and my employer's name. I wonder did she carry on with this in the two other shops she has been since leaving us?
  9. I thought of something. If when asked 'why did I removed coupons?' Because the supervisor ASKED me to do so, I thought it was ok. Plus another supervisor removed at least one coupon (no info about how many she actually took) as she did it in front of me. If two supervisors thought it was ok, it hopefully make matters easier for me. But the saying two rights make a wrong can apply here. Also these coupons started the day before my supervisor asked me to remove them for her. She did not work that date and I did process the papers that day. Further proof of following supervisor's orders. As to why I bleurted out another (innocent) colleague's name when someone asked 'who did you get permission for doing this'. I am dyslexic and I generally have good days without my dyslexia interfering with my life. But I was put on the spot and very tired. This brought my dyslexia out as dyslexics have general probs managing stress in an instance. The disciplinary which happened in 2010, my TUR thought using this as to save me. The practice of removing coupons has been going on all the time since I have worked there. Even one manager that worked in the store (moved to another store 2 years ago) partook collecting coupons!!
  10. I remember about a year or so ago, one newspaper used to have a free puzzle book of 8-12 pages. Some colleagues did take this home from any unsold papers. Similar principle to the coupons if I am so to believe. Also do newspaper wholesalers check every single bundle of unsold papers that gets delivered to them? They know one of the bundles is from my shop as a sheet with our details attached to one of the bundles. But prob no idea about the other bundles. The weekend papers, I do at least three bundles due to the weight of them. Weekday papers - 2. It's a huge task. Think about every single place that sells newspapers - newsagents, supermarkets, corner shops, petrol stations, large office complexes, street vendors (for the local ones) - a wholesaler may supply 1000 places and could have 2,000-3,000 bundles to deal with. I tie them up with string like a parcel. I am not too sure I am being disciplined for theft through the coupons or the theft through 'damaged' papers. It just satates on the letters that I have removed holiday coupons from a paper between x-y Jan. I have talked to a few non colleagues friends about what they class as damaged. Removing a small piece which is less than 5% of the size of the oage, none of them would classes as damaged. One former colleague and the suspended supervisor that is responsible for the papers said to me that they just get pulped. I think the supervisor that is responsible for the newspapers should get the harsher outcome than me and the other supervisor as she knows about the rules, what actually happens to them and never passed that info to me. I was led to believe that these papers just get pulped (with the supplements in shrinkwrap removed beforehand)
  11. In my suspension letter, it has been said I am not allowed to visit the store, unless going to a meeting about the investigation/disciplinary. Though does not mention about going to other shops. Some retailers make their suspended colleagues to be banned in every shop of the chain. I don't have the phone numbers of the other two suspended colleagues and they are not on the social media. Then, earlier this week, it was 2 colleagues' birthdays. Normally, I write on their facebook wall wishing them a happy birthday, but not done so. The only FB contacts I have done this week are to those friends that never worked for my employer. I never updated my status. Some customers recognise me. I was in the chemists down the same road, collecting my prescription. A customer said 'is this your day off?' I said 'it is' - though that day of the week is my day of normally. I think if the employer KNOWS you have broken these simple rules of entering the premises and/or talked to colleagues about this, then it will not help your case and get disciplined for breaking suspension rules. Sidewinder, we were never been told that it's unacceptable practice to remove coupons or free discs from papers. If we were, I would not be in this position. I don't process the unsold magazines - more complex and different system they use. But there are even better free gifts like £10 face cream, paperback books etc. At work, I am often finding magazines with the free gift removed. I put a note 'free gift stolen' on the front of the mag. I wonder how many shop workers across the UK have taken these gifts when they return them unsold? Mag wholesalers have no clue as if its a colleague or a customer taking the gift! I have seen newspapers strooned in a messy heap down another aisle and yep the customer took the coupon for whatever it was. As when we had the free discs, those that taken them home only took 1 or 2. The other one was for a relative. The whole issue with the ripping out coupons is huge. It's not just me and the two colleagues. Anywhere that sells newspapers has had this. If I am dismissed, I will get this appealed. Do you think, the three of us will get the same punishment level? If not, which one will get the biggest one? The two other colleagues are supervisors. One of them is part time on the checkouts/customer service. She was the one that asked me to rip the coupons out for her. The other one is her dept does the processing of the papers and magazines. If I do get a warning, can I suggest to transfer to another shop? If the other two are allowed back to work, they may find it difficult and uncomfortable to work if I am still there. Though I will be financially losing out as I will be driving to work and not walking and be driving 23 miles or 55 miles per week, depending on which shop I will be transferred to. The other shops are larger and have more departments.
  12. A former colleague (now retired) (person A) lives next door to a colleague that still works there (person B). B told A that there are three colleagues on suspension - myself and the other two colleagues I have said their names as they either took the coupons themselves (person C) s or they asked me to do it for them (person D) This is certainly very interesting as they are actually benefiting from the coupons, I had no plans to use the coupons as these holidays the coupons are for are my kind of hell. But the thing is are they going to lie? I am even more worried because of this in some ways and other ways I am glad they are getting the punishment for this. Obviously, I will not mention in the meeting that they are suspended and comment if they mentioned like I was unaware of it - which shows I am following suspension rules. Now, A did process the papers when she was working and in those days, many of the weekend papers had free DVDs and CDs in them. She did distribute the discs among colleagues. I did not pick any of these discs up as it was not my kind of thing or had the disc at home. The manager will not be interested in this as the colleague has retired 2 years ago. What do you think about what will happen? My first meeting is Sunday am.
  13. I am in the process of doing my CV and applying for a couple of jobs. I have an issue with who to use for a 2nd reference. Been with my present employer for just over 5 years. The previous 3-4 years of employers don't exist anymore. I worked for a temp agency for a firm that still exists. When my current employer tried to contact the firm, they had no record of me, despite I was there for 18 months and all the managers in my dept have left. Friends cannot help either as I know them for not long enough or speaking to them after a gap of 15 years and only been in contact for 1 year.
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