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Most blatant injustice you have seen/experienced in the workplace?

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  • 28-04-2014 7:49pm
    #1
    Wanderer2010
    Registered Users Posts: 6,697 ✭✭✭


    What is the one thing you have seen in your workplace that is definitely unfair or unequal, to the point where you actually considered complaining or making a fuss? Im not talking about someone who is a bit late now and then or someone who gets away with the odd mistake, Im talking about a practice or hiring policy etc that really gets on your nerves..

    Im in an open plan office and we have to be back from lunch at 2pm sharp, because some of our clients expect reports etc at that time. No problem, but there are 3 women in particular who head down to the local cafe for lunch regularly and they swan in laughing and joking at 20 past 2 every single time they go to that cafe. We are a quiet office so the boss man usually pops out his head if there are raised voices to see whats up. When he sees the women, he just goes straight back to his work. However, if any of the lads (long term or newbies) are even 2 mins late, he will head up to him , take him aside and remind them work starts at 2pm not after and if it happens again he "will have to consider a warning".

    I was caught with traffic today and arrived at 5 past 2. He walked over and said "we have to be back at 2pm" to which I said "well how come Mary, Siobhan and Edel (false names) can swan in 3 times a week at nearly half past and nothing is said to them?". I admit i was angry so i may not have been that professional about it but he just looked at me like i was crazy, like i was mad for saying such a thing, rolled his eyes and walked away. I mean, man up, surely that is nothing but a pure wimp of a man. I hasten to add none of the women are there that long or related to him, its just him being a coward :mad::mad:


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    #2
    ringadingding
    Registered Users Posts: 1,010 ✭✭✭ringadingding


    Well that beats the children sweatshops in Asia hands down


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    #3
    downonthefarm
    Registered Users Posts: 1,308 ✭✭✭downonthefarm


    ringadingding wrote: »
    Well that beats the children sweatshops in Asia hands down

    I challenge you to find better stitching elsewhere


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    #4
    woodoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,219 ✭✭✭woodoo


    Wanderer2010 wrote: »
    What is the one thing you have seen in your workplace that is definitely unfair or unequal, to the point where you actually considered complaining or making a fuss? Im not talking about someone who is a bit late now and then or someone who gets away with the odd mistake, Im talking about a practice or hiring policy etc that really gets on your nerves..

    Im in an open plan office and we have to be back from lunch at 2pm sharp, because some of our clients expect reports etc at that time. No problem, but there are 3 women in particular who head down to the local cafe for lunch regularly and they swan in laughing and joking at 20 past 2 every single time they go to that cafe. We are a quiet office so the boss man usually pops out his head if there are raised voices to see whats up. When he sees the women, he just goes straight back to his work. However, if any of the lads (long term or newbies) are even 2 mins late, he will head up to him , take him aside and remind them work starts at 2pm not after and if it happens again he "will have to consider a warning".

    I was caught with traffic today and arrived at 5 past 2. He walked over and said "we have to be back at 2pm" to which I said "well how come Mary, Siobhan and Edel (false names) can swan in 3 times a week at nearly half past and nothing is said to them?". I admit i was angry so i may not have been that professional about it but he just looked at me like i was crazy, like i was mad for saying such a thing, rolled his eyes and walked away. I mean, man up, surely that is nothing but a pure wimp of a man. I hasten to add none of the women are there that long or related to him, its just him being a coward :mad::mad:

    Take note of the times and dates the women come in late without getting a warning and hammer him for gender discrimination if he issues you with a warning.


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    #5
    Sir Osis of Liver.
    Registered Users Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭Sir Osis of Liver.


    Did Mary,Siobhan and Edel hear what you said about them?


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    #6
    oldyouth
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,754 ✭✭✭oldyouth


    Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »
    Did Mary,Siobhan and Edel hear what you said about them?

    They were still on dessert I'm sure


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    #7
    newmug
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,571 ✭✭✭newmug


    Barred from joining a union, in a very, very well known multinational.


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    #8
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,464 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    i remember being a spotty teenager working in Dunnes during college. My shift was always 4-9 with an elderly crew joining us from 6-god knows when.

    To cut a long story short there were good step ladders and crap step ladders and everybody would obviously run for the good step ladders. When the elderly crew would come in they'd almost be ready to whip them straight from under your feet the minute you left it for a second and needless to say it happened everyday. And heres how us young testosterone filled boys dealt with it, we decided to get bike locks and lock the ladders to the shelving every time we left them.

    I hate women in there 50's. How easy life was back then worrying about step ladders.


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    #9
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,464 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    newmug wrote: »
    Barred from joining a union, in a very, very well known multinational.

    be thankful they saved you money.


  • Options
    #10
    RobbingBandit
    Registered Users Posts: 18,099 ✭✭✭✭RobbingBandit


    Are these women lookers?


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    #11
    pappyodaniel
    Registered Users Posts: 5,723 ✭✭✭pappyodaniel


    Years ago after I finished school I found a trade and became a first year apprentice in a very small factory, it was only the boss and 4 other guys as employees. As the new guy it's kind of a rite of passage in a trade to have pranks played on you and being very young and incredibly naive I fell for pretty much all of them. Most of them were harmless stuff, you know "the long stand" and the "bucket of sparks" type of thing.

    One day I was working away on a job and out of the corner of my eye I spotted the boss coming out of his office with a sheet of paper in his hand. He got all of our attentions and said he was after getting his phone bill (which was way higher than usual) and it had some outgoing calls made to some dodgy sex-lines and he demanded to know who was responsible for making them. I, thinking this may be an elaborate prank on the new guy chuckled and said nice try lads and went back to work. The boss exploded with rage and ordered me into his office and to admit responsibility. I then realised that this was serious so I told him it wasn't me but being so young and not very confident I could barely get the words out and started to well up.

    The boss kept haranguing me to admit guilt but I kept shaking my head and holding back telling him he was wrong. He said something like this was a very embarrassing thing and I had '2 choices', either (a)I admit guilt, he'd let me go but keep quiet as to why he let me go or (b)he'd let me go and tell everyone I was a little pervert. I was so freaked out I could barely breathe not mind speak but for whatever reason I glanced at the phone bill on the table. I composed myself and asked when were these phone calls made? It turned out the calls were made on a Saturday, a day I wasn't working as I had a rugby match.

    Anyway the boss checked our work cards and quickly found out who was responsible and let him go on the spot right in front of everyone. A week later he noticed a sum of money went missing from his business account. He found out the same guy had taken some blank cheques from his office and cashed them, I didn't feel one bit sorry for him as I never really got a proper apology.

    I left that job 2 months later.


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    #12
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    What's with everyone writing big long posts? I''m trying to watch a football match and seal a toilet cistern here, ain't got time for all this reading.


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    #13
    woodoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,219 ✭✭✭woodoo


    A youngish girl in a company i used to work in was given an acting up roll which would have involved an increase in pay. There was informal interviews for the position and she got it. However a number of witches objected and went round the office with a petition to get the younger girl removed. I wouldn't sign the petition and didn't expect it to go anywhere. But it did and the cowardly bosses withdrew the acting offer from her and they brought someone from another department to fill the roll temporarily. I thought it was scandalous.


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    #14
    pappyodaniel
    Registered Users Posts: 5,723 ✭✭✭pappyodaniel


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    What's with everyone writing big long posts? I''m trying to watch a football match and seal a toilet cistern here, ain't got time for all this reading.

    Any score?


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    #15
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    pappyodaniel wrote: »
    Any score?
    2-0, and there's a bit of silicone stuck down the crack of me arse.


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    #16
    CarrickMcJoe
    Registered Users Posts: 3,379 ✭✭✭CarrickMcJoe


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    What's with everyone writing big long posts? I''m trying to watch a football match and seal a toilet cistern here, ain't got time for all this reading.

    TV in the toilet, nice one :)


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    #17
    mark_jmc
    Registered Users Posts: 552 ✭✭✭mark_jmc


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    2-0, and there's a bit of silicone stuck down the crack of me arse.



    My name is Bond.....Polybond.........i've come to fill your crack


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    #18
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    CarrickMcJoe wrote: »
    TV in the toilet, nice one :)
    Toilet in the TV room actually.;)


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    #19
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    How the hell did you manage to get silicone down your arse?


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    #20
    Specialun
    Registered Users Posts: 3,068 ✭✭✭Specialun


    Mary is a fine worker


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    #21
    Roquentin
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,130 ✭✭✭Roquentin


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    2-0, and there's a bit of silicone stuck down the crack of me arse.

    Newcastle to come back and win 3-2


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    #22
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    catallus wrote: »
    How the hell did you manage to get silicone down your arse?
    I had to rest the gun over my shoulder whilst reading the OP, and some of it dribbled out.


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    #23
    con___manx1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,474 ✭✭✭con___manx1


    Wanderer2010 wrote: »
    What is the one thing you have seen in your workplace that is definitely unfair or unequal, to the point where you actually considered complaining or making a fuss? Im not talking about someone who is a bit late now and then or someone who gets away with the odd mistake, Im talking about a practice or hiring policy etc that really gets on your nerves..

    Im in an open plan office and we have to be back from lunch at 2pm sharp, because some of our clients expect reports etc at that time. No problem, but there are 3 women in particular who head down to the local cafe for lunch regularly and they swan in laughing and joking at 20 past 2 every single time they go to that cafe. We are a quiet office so the boss man usually pops out his head if there are raised voices to see whats up. When he sees the women, he just goes straight back to his work. However, if any of the lads (long term or newbies) are even 2 mins late, he will head up to him , take him aside and remind them work starts at 2pm not after and if it happens again he "will have to consider a warning".

    I was caught with traffic today and arrived at 5 past 2. He walked over and said "we have to be back at 2pm" to which I said "well how come Mary, Siobhan and Edel (false names) can swan in 3 times a week at nearly half past and nothing is said to them?". I admit i was angry so i may not have been that professional about it but he just looked at me like i was crazy, like i was mad for saying such a thing, rolled his eyes and walked away. I mean, man up, surely that is nothing but a pure wimp of a man. I hasten to add none of the women are there that long or related to him, its just him being a coward :mad::mad:
    I once asked a boss could I leave at 5. work is supposed t finish at 5 but the nature of the job always stay back 10 mins t lock up . I need t leave early t play football just 1 day ever reminded the boss she flipped and told me I had to stay back with everyone else. I reminded her I asked her earlier in the day that I could go at 5. I just walked out ; ) bitch had to apologise completely in the wrong.


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    #24
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    I had to rest the gun over my shoulder whilst reading the OP, and some of it dribbled out.

    Well, that explains that! You should be more careful. How does it feel, btw?


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    #25
    Afroshack
    Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭Afroshack


    I worked in a really well-known shop that every neighbourhood in Ireland has - the kind of store where you get milk, the paper, breadrolls, deli stuff and so on. I worked there for six months when I was 15, and jaysus it was bad.
    • strictly only women on the deli - god forbid a man might have to make a sandwich
    • I was the only person on the deli half the time (boss didn't want to pay for more staff) so whenver I was on break, I would have to come out and keep serving whenever a customer came up. (didn't get time added on either)
    • was forced to clock out at 9pm every night yet keep working until 9.40 until the shop was swept and mopped
    • a full-timer went on holidays, and rather than roster the adult staff who were more expensive, muggins here had to work from 3.30 until 9.40 every day and then all weekend (pretty sure that's illegal at 15)
    • got screamed at by the boss for taking a 30 minute break on a 12-hour shift, as there were no 'women' to cover me (again, the boys on tills could never possibly work the deli)


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    #26
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    newmug wrote: »
    Barred from joining a union, in a very, very well known multinational.

    Ryanair????
    Afroshack wrote: »
    I worked in a really well-known shop that every neighbourhood in Ireland has - the kind of store where you get milk, the paper, breadrolls, deli stuff and so on. I worked there for six months when I was 15, and jaysus it was bad.

    • strictly only women on the deli - god forbid a man might have to make a sandwich
    • I was the only person on the deli half the time (boss didn't want to pay for more staff) so whenver I was on break, I would have to come out and keep serving whenever a customer came up. (didn't get time added on either)
    • was forced to clock out at 9pm every night yet keep working until 9.40 until the shop was swept and mopped
    • a full-timer went on holidays, and rather than roster the adult staff who were more expensive, muggins here had to work from 3.30 until 9.40 every day and then all weekend (pretty sure that's illegal at 15)
    • got screamed at by the boss for taking a 30 minute break on a 12-hour shift, as there were no 'women' to cover me (again, the boys on tills could never possibly work the deli)

    when was this the 1930s???
    that thinking went out donkeys years ago

    also would possibly tell them to f**k off...there no job pays enough to be getting screamed


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    #27
    scudzilla
    Registered Users Posts: 11,913 ✭✭✭✭scudzilla


    If i could post anonymously here i'd talk, sickened by some of the crap i've seen


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    #28
    Irish Guitarist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,736 ✭✭✭Irish Guitarist


    Years ago I worked with a smoker who took a cigarette break every half hour or so. Anytime she wanted to she could just say "I'm taking a fag break" and arse around in the break room smoking and reading a magazine for ten minutes and no one said anything about it.

    One day I said "I'm taking a break" to see what the reaction would be and the manager looked at me like I had two heads. He didn't stop me but he didn't seem happy about it so I didn't try it again.

    In retrospect I should have pretended I smoked and I could have just swanned off whenever I felt like it.


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    #29
    SusieBlue
    Registered Users Posts: 8,029 ✭✭✭SusieBlue


    Nothing that unfair or interesting but I work in a club, and most of our shifts would be about 5-6 hours long so we don't get breaks. When we first opened the possibility was discussed, but no one would be allowed to take a break till we closed at 2.30am and frankly, we'd all rather race through the clean up and get home asap than take a 30min break.

    The unfair part is that smokers are allowed to take breaks throughout. They'll take one when we start, three during service hours (11am-2am) and then, at 2:30, they'll disappear for maybe 15 minutes for a few fags. Out of 50 staff, about 35 or so smoke so 15 people (including me) don't get a break during service and are made start the clean up while the smokers are outside having a fag. Its really annoying because the bulk of the hard, dirty work is done straight after closing so they miss having to do the gritty jobs.

    Is it easy to tell that management and all the supervisors are smokers? :rolleyes:


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    #30
    geddylee
    Registered Users Posts: 25 ✭geddylee


    The worst injustices in the work place I have seen is when bullies start getting on with supervisors ,team leaders and office staff,and union reps....it's unbelievable the worst offenders for aggressive behaviour that seem to get popular with everyone else because they are afraid of them,the more intimidating you are, the more respect you get.


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    #31
    cabledude
    Registered Users Posts: 842 ✭✭✭cabledude


    I could tell ye all some hilarious stories about a former workplace, but this is one of the best.

    So, one Monday morning, one of the team leaders never showed in to work. His boss tried to call his mobile but, it was switched off. He tried ringing the landline, but, it rang out. This was Monday morning now remember. Come Wednesday morning, there was still no sign of the boyo. He had vanished off the face of the planet. The boss went to the Operations Manager and they had a serious meeting about the issue of a staff member going AWOL. They decided that the guy would be facing serious disciplinary action whenever he returned to work.

    Over the few days no fewer than 50 calls had been made to the landline and countless others to the mobile. Then on the following Sunday evening, the boss was talking to his OH. He told her that one of the members of staff had gone AWOL and that he was in serious difficulty whenever he returned to work. Termination of employment was on the cards.

    The OH turned around and told the boss that the staff member had met them both in the pub on the previous Friday night. He had explained to the boss that a family member had died in France that same afternoon and that he would not be in next week. The boss lashed into the pints and had totally forgotten the conversation.

    The staff member arrived home on the Monday morning from France and noticed 50 missed calls on the landline. He called the boss and asked WTF was going on. The sheepish boss had to explain that he had 'forgotten' about their conversation in the pub and had presumed that the staff member had booked a sun holiday.

    A public apology had to be issued.


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