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View Full Version : OK, Morrisons are really pithing me off now...


kgrandpa
01-23-2003, 11:22 AM
For the first part in this two part story, see here (http://thekinetik.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=4665)

Anyway, since I received the letter mentioned in the first part of the story, I have phoned in sick a further three times. This is because I get acute diarrhoea (this may be more than you needed to know, but its best I explain fully!) a few hours before I'm due to go to work - and I only work three days a week.

The other days of the week I'm fine, although a week ago I had to go to the dentist and the doctor and I got it then.

The fact that it only happens at certain times leads me to believe its stress related. Stress from having to visit the dentist for a filling (don't like injections) and stress from worrying about the embarrassment of potentially shitting my pants at work, as well as the stress caused by the letter they sent me (as detailed in part one of the story!)

I went to the doctor (same day I went to the dentist) and explained all this, and he said it might possibly be stress, and prescribed me some anti-diarrhoeals to take. I'd phoned in sick the Saturday before because I was so worried that I was shitting practically every five minutes.

So, last Thursday and its near the time to work (5pm). I get my toilet urges again so I take two of these anti-diarrhoeals. I go to work feeling nice and confident and everythings fine until around 6:30pm when I start to get awful stomach pain. I somehow manage to stay on until 10pm and go home. Reading the leaflet, and stomach cramps are a side-effect of these diarrhoea tablets.

They lasted until around midday on Monday. Possibly caused by not having much to eat too. That meant I had to phone in sick on Friday and Saturday because the pain was just too much. So I wrote a letter to work explaining the situation and what I was doing to try and sort it out. I asked for my hours to be reduced and moved around to see if this would help relieve some of the stress. The personnel manager said he'd have to discuss this with me (which is fair enough) so I went into work tonight to see him and he said that he couldn't chat until Saturday (again, fair enough if hes busy). Then the store deputy manager entered the office along with the admin manager. They asked me to go into the staff training room, so I did.

There they proceeded to give me a right royal bollocking because of my "unacceptable" attendance.

Its like, "Hey, this guy has a stress problem! Perhaps we should bollock him for being off sick, that'll cure it!" Dolts.

I was that close to busting into tears at the end of the "meeting" that I could feel it welling up. They basically told me to sort it out (they even suggested buying some herbal stress remedies from the store) or I'd face the sack. Yeah, like thats gonna do wonders for my stress. Thanks, mates..

Anyway, the "meeting" ended and I went back to work. Couldn't stop thinking about the "meeting" and after two hours decided I'd had enough of feeling like a piece of shit and went home. Hence me being here now (I'm supposed to work until 10pm) My missus went back to throw a shitfit at the guys who bollocked me.

I'm now gonna write them a letter explaining how disgusted I am at how this matter has been treated and that I am considering discussing the matter with the union. Hopefully that'll scare 'em. I can appreciate that they've got to treat everyone equally when it comes to excessive absence, but they could at least approach the subject with sensitivity. I've always been completely honest with them about my reasons for phoning in sick. I don't suffer from lazyitis, if I phone in sick there is a reason for it.

They even asked me why I seemed to mostly phone in sick on the Saturday - the way they said it implied that they thought I had something better to do on the Saturday.

Anyone in the UK, please boycott Morrisons Supermarkets altogether. I certainly ain't going to shop with them anymore. I'm >--< this far away from handing in my notice, even though I can't afford to (credit card bill to pay off :( )

MonkeyCowboy
01-23-2003, 12:16 PM
I will support youre boycott on Morrisons. (I dont think theres one in this neck of the woods, but I believe they've bid for Safeway??, so I wont shop there).

I'm really sorry but I couldnt stop giggling to myself when I read the first few lines, but seriously you gotta sort it out.

What I suggest is to look for another job, whilst youre references are still good, you obviously have a valid reason for not being able to work/handle food.

Youre studying towards an IT qualification??

Why dont you try and get a job on a support desk at Uni/college, it will help towards youre experience etc.... and could possibly lead to something else?

Well hope those tablets dont play to much havoc with your belly.

wind_factor
01-23-2003, 12:23 PM
yah poor you. what supermarket brands do they have in London? cuz thats the only town I visit in UK, and I don't remember they have supermarket named Morrison. meybe i'm too ignorant...
anyways u have my sympathy. these guys are jack asses.

Magic
01-23-2003, 12:32 PM
discuss it with the union. Also, i hope you pointed out their miscalculation in part one to them, and make light of that. They were threatening you becuase you were "absent from work too much" despite being under the allowed average -- their screwup.

You have chronic diahrrea. you work around food. now that's a recepie for disaster.

I'd go to the union, or better yet, call the head office. Tell them the story. Tell them they were accusing you of missing work more than you were. Tell them you are suffering from stress induced illnesses, leading to your symptoms. Out of simple compassion for fellow workers and customers, you don't want to have to hit the bathroom every 10 minutes and come right back out to handle food, let alone anything. It's contageous, it really is.

Mention that the doctor agreed that you suffer from stress, and got you on a first round of medication to stop the first line of symptoms and side affects from it. Tell them what your personnel managers did, and how that has piled on more stress to you, and can lead to various other health issues. Complain about their lack of sensitivity in the situation.

If i was you, i'd at least get in touch with your union leader/rep. Complain to them. Tell them the whole story, and let them deal with it. Hell, if you at least get those assholes into sensitivity training it's a start.

In short: you're getting shafted by these guys. You should do something about it.

This post rambles on a bit, but i hope you catch my overall drift.

kgrandpa
01-23-2003, 12:51 PM
MonkeyCowboy: You live in Bristol, right? Well Morrisons are opening up a supermarket in Bristol sometime this year.

They have bid for Safeway, but they don't own it yet. Sainsbury's and Wal-Mart (and some American company called KKRA or something) have also bid for it.

I'm no longer studying at college, finished that course in the middle of last year. I'm looking for an IT job, but there are bugger all of them here in Shrewsbury. One surfaces every now and again but its very rare. Two IT jobs popped out of the paper tonight but they are all around 10 miles away (which I don't mind travelling as long as its paid well enough - no car)

Magic: I'm gonna talk to my union rep. tomorrow I think, if I can remember who it is :D Might contact head office as well, but I'm definitely going to write the Shrewsbury office a letter first.

Magic
01-23-2003, 07:50 PM
yes, your local area office is better than the head office for a start... you can always do that later, if necessary. good idea :D

edStar
01-23-2003, 10:12 PM
Sue the bastards if they fire you!! You have a health problem and if they fire you over that, then *pffft* they'll be up to their necks in litigation.

Hope it goes well for you. Some people are just absolute bastards... more worried about profits then they are about their employees.

But, definately get on to your union! Good luck kgramps!

Hodgemeister
01-24-2003, 08:32 AM
health issues should be treated with compassion, not bullying. Useless pillocks.

kgrandpa
01-24-2003, 01:01 PM
Short but to the point, Hodgemeister :)

An update: I saw my union rep today and she advised me first of all to never go into such a situation on my own again, but to always insist that someone accompanies me. I didn't realise I had a legal right to that, so thats something to remember.

She also suggested that when I have my chat with my personnel manager tomorrow about reducing my hours, to bring up the subject with him and complain that I felt it was absolutely unnecessary for that to happen - especially as I wasn't given any warning. After I've done that it is entirely up to me whether I make a formal complaint to the general manager (or even go above him) about the matter.