I went for an interview for a new job about a month ago. It was for a night position at a large Hotel chain. When they asked me why I wanted to leave my current job, I was very honest with them. I told them they had changed my role from a hospital porter to a cleaner. I was expected to spend almost all my shift cleaning, with portering duties coming second. I don't want to be a cleaner. If I did, I'd get a cleaning job.
The interviewers were incredibly sympathetic, and assured me that only light cleaning is involved in the role I was applying for. Hoovering carpets, etc.
A few days later, they call me back and not only offer the job, but upgrade the offer to an Assistant managers job. I was thrilled and nearly snapped their hands off accepting the offer.
Problems started the first day. I was given a standard employee uniform, whereas all the other assistant managers were wearing suits. I was not issued any log ins for the various systems, nor given an email address, unlike all the other assistant managers.
First week passed without incident, all e-learning and induction stuff. The second week, however, cleaning. Oh my god, so much cleaning. I was on my hands and knees, scrubbing table bases and chair legs. They wanted me cleaning the public toilets. Then the manager would walk around and expect me to follow him with a cloth, mop and broom whilst he looked for mistakes.
3rd night of this and I cracked. We had a sit down. I told him it was unacceptable to ask me to dothis level of cleaning, when I was supposed to be an assistant manager. In fact, i was doing precisely ZERO of the duties I was told I would be doing at the interview. I reminded him of my interview, where I pointed out cleaning was the exact reason I left my last job. He then dropped the bombshell that regardless of what I was told, I'm not an assistant manager. I'm an enhanced porter, who gets to run shifts on his days off. When he's in, I'm expected to spend my 8 hours cleaning. He then took this opportunity to tell me my finish times were also changing from 7am to 7:30am. I told him this was completely unworkable as I'd miss my bus and have 4 children so I need to get home in time to get them to school. Was basically, though not in exact words, told tough shit.
End of the shift comes, and I'm leaving, 5 mins after my finish time. I'm already out the door when the manager screams after me that I have to use the staff exit. None of the assistant managers or managers have to use the staff exit. Ice never been told to use it before this shift, and I was already outside the building. I asked him if he seriously expected me to come back in, walk through the building and use the exit on the other side? He said yes. I said, and I quote, “I'm already outside. I'm not doing that, I'll miss my bus. As I said last night, this may well be my final shift due to you messing with my finish times. We'll talk about it when I'm back in tonight” and then went home. I awoke to find an email telling me that as I had walked off site without permission, and told them I didn't want to work there anymore, they are terminating me with immediate effect.
I've tried contacting HR and the general manager, but no success. So now I'm jobless, but strangely fucking relieved.
TLDR: Hospitality sector is in crisis in UK, and Employers are still pulling shady shit to get staff through the door.