The grumpy thread

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

On the subject of phones, does anyone know whether reactivating the DSL part of a (present but disconnected) line automatically incurs a fee? PO said they can restart the telephone part of the line gratis, but I won't want to go with them for internet and I can't really speak to an ISP until I have a line!

[loserone]

On the subject of phones, does anyone know whether reactivating the DSL part of a (present but disconnected) line automatically incurs a fee? PO said they can restart the telephone part of the line gratis, but I won't want to go with them for internet and I can't really speak to an ISP until I have a line!

 

Officially, yes. The DSL was still enabled on our line, so when I let AAISP know about this, they rang BT and cancelled the man to enable it. Saved my £50

[Guest]

This 'if you're not here ten minutes before you're automatically late' bollocks policy at work.

 

I was logged in and ready to take calls at 9.55. We open at 10. Why am I being lumped in with the useless shits who rocked up 15 minutes late? We don't do anything in this magical 'ten minutes' we're supposed to abide by anyway, so why the bollocking?

 

I really do wish people would climb down off their high fucking horse and take stock of what's in front of them before tarring everyone with the same brush. I don't actually like arriving on the death. Other than a motorway closure and an encounter with a psychotic encounter with a grunting meat head (in the same morning), I've never been late in.

 

 

So fuck off reporting me to head office, you officious little stain. I can shout louder than you.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Officially, yes. The DSL was still enabled on our line, so when I let AAISP know about this, they rang BT and cancelled the man to enable it. Saved my £50

 

Cheers for that...might as well stick with 3 if I have to pay an extra 50 quid (not sure whether I'll stay here for very long).

 

Daft question: is there any way to check whether the DSL is still enabled on my line without getting the voice part reconnected?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

This 'if you're not here ten minutes before you're automatically late' bollocks policy at work.

 

I was logged in and ready to take calls at 9.55. We open at 10. Why am I being lumped in with the useless shits who rocked up 15 minutes late? We don't do anything in this magical 'ten minutes' we're supposed to abide by anyway, so why the bollocking?

 

I really do wish people would climb down off their high fucking horse and take stock of what's in front of them before tarring everyone with the same brush. I don't actually like arriving on the death. Other than a motorway closure and an encounter with a psychotic encounter with a grunting meat head (in the same morning), I've never been late in.

 

 

So fuck off reporting me to head office, you officious little stain. I can shout louder than you.

 

Why do you not report him/her to head office instead? Asking you to report to work earlier without compensating you for it is both illegal and, in all likelihood, against the terms of your contract of employment.

[chaseracer]

/\/\

 

Correct. Wat, feel free to tell the officious little tw@t to get bent.

[Guest]

This 'if you're not here ten minutes before you're automatically late' bollocks policy at work.

 

I was logged in and ready to take calls at 9.55. We open at 10. Why am I being lumped in with the useless shits who rocked up 15 minutes late? We don't do anything in this magical 'ten minutes' we're supposed to abide by anyway, so why the bollocking?

 

I really do wish people would climb down off their high fucking horse and take stock of what's in front of them before tarring everyone with the same brush. I don't actually like arriving on the death. Other than a motorway closure and an encounter with a psychotic encounter with a grunting meat head (in the same morning), I've never been late in.

 

 

So fuck off reporting me to head office, you officious little stain. I can shout louder than you.

 

Why do you not report him/her to head office instead? Asking you to report to work earlier without compensating you for it is both illegal and, in all likelihood, against the terms of your contract of employment.

 

Because I need this job, and I'm tired of banging heads with the management in every job I end working in.

 

Otherwise I would.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Because I need this job, and I'm tired of banging heads with the management in every job I end working in.

 

Otherwise I would.

 

but if you make a fuss, raise a grievance etc, there's a decent chance they'll leave you alone in order to avoid the potential for further mishaps that can lead to more bollockings for them from head office. Especially when you're so clearly in the right- the manager who thought of that practice exposes the business to tribunal action and basically needs firing.

[CIH]

Wat's right. I got tugged for the same thing. I'd usually log-in a minute or two late as I refused to take calls untill the POS computer was ready and it literally took a good 15 minutes to get upto speed. I imagine its common pratice. They don't directly insist on shit, just incinuate (sp?) and generally make life difficult in a hard to define way.

 

Did I ever tell you guys they made us do linedancing one day ?

 

On a related note, is it legal my friend is made to work 8 1/2 hours straight, with no break whatsoever, while the rest of the shop guys sit on their arses for 3/4s of the time ?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Fairly certain its not legal to make someone work 8 1/2 hours without a break.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Fairly certain its not legal to make someone work 8 1/2 hours without a break.

 

IIRC, the legal minimum is a 20 minute break every 4 hours.

[TimothyClaypole]

Rest breaks - a break during your working day

 

As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.

 

A lunch or coffee break can count as your rest break. Additional breaks might be given by your contract of employment. There is no statutory right to 'smoking breaks'.

 

The requirements are:

 

•the break must be in one block

 

•it cannot be taken off one end of the working day - it must be somewhere in the middle

 

•you are allowed to spend it away from the place on your employer's premises where you work

 

•your employer can say when the break must be taken, as long as it meets these conditions

 

 

I'd love 20 minutes but we get an hour... I don't want an hour, I've nothing to do for the rest of the hour after eating my lunch, they know this though so it's a way to get an extra 4 or so hours out of you a week for free...

 

I might start spending it colouring the books in the kids corner.

 

Oh and my place broke this one last week:

 

Weekly rest - the 'weekend'

If you are an adult worker you have the right to:

 

•an uninterrupted 24 hours clear of work each week

 

as I did 8 days without a day off.

[eddyramrod]

Damn right it's not, Mr Bol. He should leave, immediately.

Wat, understood; and of course if you make a fuss the shit won't stop for fear of bollockings from above, it'll just increase to intolerable levels. Or perhaps that should read "more intolerable..." I've been there, I know. You either have to be totally thick-skinned and take it all the way to Brussels (if necessary) or just leave. Me, I'm a leaver. You spend too much of your life at work to be unhappy at it. Especially for someone else's stupidity, which is what the problem is (specifically and, usually, in general too).

 

Coffee: tell me what's wrong, exactly, with instant. Why is it necessary to force bitter and ridiculously strong coffee on poor old Joe Public, especially making him pay through the nose for it? The ONLY way I can drink coffee in the likes of Costa, etc, is as latte or cappuchino, with lots of sugar; at least 50% more than I would have at home because it's so bloody strong. I hate strong coffee almost as much as I hate tea (just the smell of tea makes me want to throw up). And yes, I've tried Cyprus coffee: it's like mud, but less pleasing on the taste buds.

Luxo, you suggest that I "don't like coffee." Wrong. What I don't like is your choice of coffee, I'm very happy to have it my way, and long may our differences thrive. You enjoy yours, with my blessing.

[M'coli]

My motor factor. I bought a wheel cylinder for the wife's 106 (3-stud on Bendix brakes, 165mm drums) a couple of weeks ago, and only got around to trying (!) to fit it today. 4 minutes past their closing time, I get the old wheel cylinder off - after unbolting the backplate to allow the molegrips to grip the rounded Allen bolt, and then undo the union without breaking the rigid pipe by turning the cylinder rather than the union) - to find that not only is the supplied wheel cylinder a 11mm union rather thant the slightly larger one on the pipe, but the cylinder itself is 4mm longer than the one on the car. Does any other place carry these cylinders? No. On Monday, I will be trying so hard not to slam someone's head into the counter at the factors.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Coffee: tell me what's wrong, exactly, with instant.

 

Essentially, the problem with it isn't that I don't like the taste (which I don't). It's that, instead of a natural product that's undergone a bit of processing, you get something that's 99% artificial. That question is like asking "what's wrong with microwave meals featuring deep-fried Mars bars?". Of course, I'm aware that there are people who like their microwaved deep-fried Mars bars and, if I were to try one, I might even enjoy their taste, but that doesn't make the bars any more acceptable as a food.

 

Why is it necessary to force bitter and ridiculously strong coffee on poor old Joe Public?

 

It isn't - as I said above, you can have filter coffee or Americano and both of them are considerably mellower than espresso...

[Guest]

Coffee: tell me what's wrong, exactly, with instant.

 

Why is it necessary to force bitter and ridiculously strong coffee on poor old Joe Public?

 

It isn't - as I said above, you can have filter coffee or Americano and both of them are considerably mellower than espresso...

 

I have vanilla latte because I am a massive coffee mard. I stick to tea normally.

[eddyramrod]

Why is it necessary to force bitter and ridiculously strong coffee on poor old Joe Public?

 

It isn't - as I said above, you can have filter coffee or Americano and both of them are considerably mellower than espresso...

 

Oh trust me, I've tried them. I've wasted a LOT of money doing my research! Either my palate is beyond salvage, or I'm simply some idiot who doesn't appreciate the "finer things." Actually that's probably more likely, as I could never eat a Chinese or Indian meal, and I seem to be the only person on the planet who can say that; nor anything with mushrooms or wine involved (and ditto...).

 

Or I could just be a whole different species from the rest of you.

[Pete-M]

I drink ludicrous amounts of coffee, and whilst I do prefer some filter coffee to instant stuff I'm perfectly happy drinking petrol station lattes. Has to be Coffee Nation though, the JJ Beano stuff is rank and I'm not a fan of Costa - although they do a bloody wonderful Mocha in some places.

 

I cannot abide tea. Not at all. Foul stuff.

[Guest]

Watt, with regards to rest breaks and getting in early and all this business, there's often a mismatch between legal rights and workplace culture. You could be entitled to something by law, but unable to take advantage of it because it'll make your job a lot more difficult. I know of someone who works in a place where the "culture" is to eat at your desk, but once they decided to pop out for a change, only to find themselves receiving a very stern ticking off for abandoning the phone. They could have argued their legal rights and taken it higher, but you're still surrounded by these people and suddenly find yourself given very little slack compared to everyone else. This whole thing is why some workplaces are pretty toxic - can't be seen to be the first person to leave on an evening, can't be seen to have your lunch off the premises, cant be seen to have a life outside work, etc.

 

I still maintain that the best way to tackle this is to make out that you're absolutely tapped and have lost the plot. I think I get away with a lot of things at work as I seem the most likely to stroll in with a gun and start blasting away indiscriminately. You have the power to achieve this, Watt. You could easily make out you're mental. I can give you training. It's all very subtle!

[chaseracer]

An oppressive culture will remain so for as long as those who are oppressed choose not to challenge their situation...

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

correct. you just reward the bullies for this shit.

[Rhythm Thief]

I still maintain that the best way to tackle this is to make out that you're absolutely tapped and have lost the plot. I think I get away with a lot of things at work as I seem the most likely to stroll in with a gun and start blasting away indiscriminately. You have the power to achieve this, Watt. You could easily make out you're mental. I can give you training. It's all very subtle!

 

Or, as I discovered way back when I was at school, weird beats hard any day of the week. If people think you're weird, they leave you well alone.

[Cavcraft]

The ability to fly off the handle at any given time often works well too.

[retrogeezer]

All the start work time bollox reminds me of an incident at my old place. I worked in a team of 6 people, being the one nearest the office and therefore less traffic I was always there by 5 to 9 (9am start), so I switch on my pc and go to get a coffee (30 feet from my desk).

The other 'team member' lived further away and were late 90% of the time stating 'traffic' as the reason. Most of the same people always had 'smoking breaks' throughout the day and usually wandered off to chat to their friends in the other department upstairs too.

 

This one morning, I am there at 5 to as always, coat off, pc on, over to coffee machine and back at desk by 9.00.

 

10 minutes later an email arrives from the 'team leader' giving the whole 'team' a bollocking for no-one being available to take calls at 9.00 ( I was and had proof) I took offence at this and sent an email by return to that effect and confirming I was at my desk.

 

I got an email back from the 'team leader' bollocking me for sending her an email and that I should have gone to speak to her in person!! I of course replied that she should have done the same thing before sending everyone an email in the first place! It didn't go down well.......

I also got reprimanded for not wearing a tie, fellas had to wear shirt/tie suit etc even though we didn't actually see clients. he company thought it gave a good image to anyone visiting the office but didn't give a shit about girls wearing vest tops and mini skirts or the smokers standing 2 feet from the main entrance on their 'smoking breaks'.

[Cavcraft]

In my previous job my boss was a complete bell end like that too. I was always the first out in the mornings (usually getting in about 6.00am and leaving at 6.30) but loads of others turned up whenever they felt like it. The gaffer would then hold a meeting on our busiest week (every four weeks it was pay week and we had figures to hit) about 8.30am to bollock everyone for being late!

 

Lost count how many times I told him I was never, ever late and that by holding the meetings at that time in the morning he was stopping me from doing my work. He'd always say 'Oh yeah, I haven't got a problem with you' but would then expect me to turn up to the next fugging meeting at the same sodding time. In the end I just eased up on my workload for the day and deliberately missed the last few jobs to piss him off.

Never been late for a days work in the last 25 years of constant employment and always like to get in a bit early to set myself up for the day.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Heres something that chaffs me right off, when you eat a magnum or other choc-coated ice cream, and as soon as the fuggin thing gets anywhere near your mouth all the chocolate drops straight off onto the floor. STICK THE CHOCOLATE ON BETTER YOU B@$t@RD5!

[Pete-M]

Heres something that chaffs me right off, when you eat a magnum or other choc-coated ice cream, and as soon as the fuggin thing gets anywhere near your mouth all the chocolate drops straight off onto the floor. STICK THE CHOCOLATE ON BETTER YOU B@$t@RD5!

 

Now that's a proper gripe. Go on Bolls

[Rhythm Thief]

What's annoying me at the moment is the fact that since googling "Land Rover Series II for sale" I now get regular junk email from Land Rover inviting me to "test drive a new Range Rover" or "try the new Evoque" or advising me of "deals on a new Discovery 4". I don't want a new Evoque or a Discovery 4, I just want a slightly shagged tax free Landy with shabby paintwork and hard seats. But do I get junk mail offering me one of those? No.

[tonedepear]

Microwave curries. Why the buggering FUCK do they pollute the rice with about 100 cloves and cardamom pods? By the time I've finished picking them out it's usually cold. Fuck's sake.

[Lankytim]

The place where the wife works seems pretty militant management wise. Everyone has to get in early, wife received a bollocking for her phone not being on at 8.50 even though she doesn't start work until 9am, people are reprimanded for laughing as they are not doing their work e.t.c.. One fella joined a union and was sacked for some spurious reason a week or so later- apparently they don't like unions! People are so desperate for a job around here that nobody dare raise their head above the parapet and so they just put up with anything. Whenever someone says that they are entitled to XYZ by law their working life can be made pretty difficult for the next month or so, so now nobody bothers. I think i'd last about 5 minutes there!

 

Sadly this culture has been allowed to develop in a number of places recently, everyone needs to be seen as better than the next person to keep their job safe so the spiral of brown-nosing and "favours" continues until it becomes the norm.