M18, work at a retail store part-time of 21 hours a week.
I work at the front end department of my store, this includes tills, customer support, etc. and I hate it. I’ve been trying to move to a different department of the store – the Paint department, which includes just stocking shelves and being knowledgable and helping out mixing paint etc.
Ever since I mentioned an interest in moving in January, they said right now it’s not possible however have been giving me constant overtime on that department since, and it’s to the point where I do more hours on the paint department then front end now, but all overtime. I’ve been told if I keep saying yes to overtime they will most likely move me, however it’s been 6 months almost, I am taking up overtime of doing 3x my regular hours a week, and so far 2 people have left on the paint department but they haven’t moved me as they cannot afford the replacement.
My job is rota based, the shifts are different every week, especially on front end. However, with the paint department we have agreed on set shifts of 3 days a week in the evenings on the delivery days. So those are locked in, but my front end shifts still vary.
When I spoke to my main manager on front end, she said that she will try and schedule shifts to accommodate and make sure I’m not in all the time almost everyday. So, we made an agreement that I would work one of my shifts on the same day as my Paint department shift and do a one long shift, which I am happy with. The problem comes with the other shift,
We agreed that I would do one week Sunday, then the next week I would work Monday, as I said I do not want to work every weekend, but don’t mind doing every other weekend. This was agreed on verbally and it lasted for about 3 weeks.
3 weeks go by and I notice all off a sudden I get scheduled on a Saturday by my manager, which is a problem as since the first day I started here 2 years ago, I have let them know I’m unavailable on Saturdays. Because of this, my manager has said fine, I need to work this Sunday then, even though I worked last Sunday – I wasn’t too happy about working 2 Sundays back to back but fine, i didn’t mind doing it once.
Today she posted the rota for the next 4 weeks and I’m on Sunday for every single one and I’m absolutely furious. The reason I don’t want to work Sunday is because that means during the week I don’t get more then one day off in a row, I work one day, one day off, then work 2 days, then one day off etc. and it’s like this for the next 4-6 weeks now.
I only work 21 hours a week. This is a part time job. I do not want to be spending every other day in my life working here. I just know on my days off I will just be thinking about work the next day, and if I go out with my friends, I can’t drink much at all just knowing I am in the next day. Literally all I want is two days off back to back atleast once every 2 weeks. This is a part time job, it should not be affecting my social life so much. Especially for 6 weeks straight it’s a joke.
Am I valid for being so angry? It’s not the fact they changed the shifts I work, it’s the fact I am working every other day for 6 weeks. I’d much rather be doing longer shifts less days. Also, it feels like the paint department move is just used as an excuse to keep me saying yes to the overtime, and that they actually have no intention of moving me.
The only thing is I do enjoy my job, it’s a DIY store so it’s less busy then regular retail, I know everyone very well, and don’t think I’ll get much better in terms of enjoyment – but i feel disrespected and just wanting to leave for a job with set shifts.