Superbowl fairness

[jackfaire]

Weird thing happened to me yesterday. I had a guy who was working the deli counter at the grocery store next to the laundromat get upset and bitter becuase he someone who really wanted to watch the superbowl had to work while I someone who could care less had the day off.

The weird thing bout this you ask? I don't bloody work with the guy, am not friends with the guy, and remember his face because he has been working the counter for at least a few years now. So I gotta ask why and how is it my fault you have to work. Because really if I didn't have the day off if for some odd reason my M-F job pulled a Lumberg that still wouldn't mean suddenly you have the day off.

Now beyond that why is it unfair? Just because my weekend plans aren't the same as your weekend plans don't make them any bloody less important. Say I was your coworker and I never worked Sundays because I have a beautiful little girl and Sundays are the days I get to be with her. Would you complain then?

Stop assuming your plans are so grander than everyone else's. And really don't take out your bitterness on the customer's that's just stupid.

[gremcint]

If I wanted to take time off work to go see a movie on the day it came out I'd probably be laughed at.

[Boozy]

The same issue, but in broader strokes:

My time off is as important to me as it is to you. How I choose to spend my time and live my life shouldn't dictate how many weekends I have to work.

I like to spend my weekends at home with my husband, our dogs, and a few good books and DVDs. We don't generally ski, golf, travel, or go out to parties. But that doesn't mean that people who DO choose to do those things have "more important plans" than I do.

You have tickets to a ball game on Saturday afternoon? Good for you. I have a date with a sofa and two dogs from 2pm to 4pm that day. My nap is as important to me as your ball game is to you. So no, I'm not taking your shift just because I'm "not doing anything anyway".

[Greenday]

The Super Bowl for all intents and purposes is a holiday. And the day after it should be a mandatory day off everywhere. Over 1/3 of America watched this year's Super Bowl. So when someone that wants to watch it is forced to work and someone who doesn't give a crap about it gets the day off...somethings just not right.

[crashhelmet]

What this person should've done was offered to switch shifts with other people. It's the easiest way to get around scheduling conflicts and can actually start to promote partnership and teamwork better.

I worked Halloween this past year so a coworker could goto the Fetish and Fantasy Ball with his gf. He worked for me 2 days later to balance out the days off for the week, but a few weeks later, he swapped shifts with me so that I could take my gf out for her birthday. We work things out a lot of times amongst ourselves to be able to accommodate for what work and life throw at us.

This guy should've gone up to someone and said "I'd really like to watch this game. I'll work for you *day if you work for me on Sunday." He might've had someone say yes.

CH

[Boozy]

This guy should've gone up to someone and said "I'd really like to watch this game. I'll work for you *day if you work for me on Sunday." He might've had someone say yes.

He may have tried that with no success.

Superbowl Sunday is the busiest day of the year for the deli counter at my local grocery store. I suspect it was an "all hands on deck, no exceptions" kind of situation. Like my store on Christmas Eve.

[elsporko]

You have tickets to a ball game on Saturday afternoon? Good for you. I have a date with a sofa and two dogs from 2pm to 4pm that day. My nap is as important to me as your ball game is to you. So no, I'm not taking your shift just because I'm "not doing anything anyway".

You can sit on the couch any day of the week. Going to see a game is something people get to do once or twice a year if they are lucky. The Superbowl is on one night of the year. I don't see why you wouldn't understand that significant difference in plans.

[Boozy]

You can sit on the couch any day of the week. Going to see a game is something people get to do once or twice a year if they are lucky. The Superbowl is on one night of the year. I don't see why you wouldn't understand that significant difference in plans.

I'm not talking about the Superbowl. You may notice that I used "Saturday" in my example.

If someone had Superbowl tickets, they'd get their shift covered.

[elsporko]

You may notice I also was saying that people rarely get tickets to any sports event, so it is still a special day for them to do something they rarely get to do.

[Cat]

I wouldn't take someone's shift because they had tickets to a game. If they weren't smart enought to schedule time before they got their tickets (like I do with all my vacations) that is their problem.

[jackfaire]

This guy just wanted to be able to watch it on TV (hello TIVO).

Plus if I was a coworker complaining to me makes sense. But getting upset at me for having a job where I don't work weekends when I am the bloody customer is just ridiculous.

I am pretty sure a lot of other customers would have complained me I just took my chicken and left.

Also if the Superbowl is that important to you then take a vacation day for it. Plan ahead to make sure you have the day off.

[Cat]

This guy just wanted to be able to watch it on TV (hello TIVO).

Plus if I was a coworker complaining to me makes sense. But getting upset at me for having a job where I don't work weekends when I am the bloody customer is just ridiculous.

I am pretty sure a lot of other customers would have complained me I just took my chicken and left.

Also if the Superbowl is that important to you then take a vacation day for it. Plan ahead to make sure you have the day off.

Now, you could have an a real ass and told him the score

[Boozy]

You may notice I also was saying that people rarely get tickets to any sports event, so it is still a special day for them to do something they rarely get to do.

I wouldn't say rarely. My brother goes to baseball games about once a week. My boss often has tickets to hockey games.

We get our schedules six weeks in advance. If you buy your tickets after the time the schedule is posted, then you should know when you are and are not available. If you buy them before the schedule is posted, you have the option of booking that day off (and we're rarely denied).

My problem is with those who get some last-minute tickets and then ask me to work for them because I'm "not doing anything anyway." I think it's presumptuous of them to assume that my plans don't mean anything to me.

[McDreidel09]

I agree Boozy. When I worked a lot, I enjoyed my day off. I just wanted to sit on the couch and read a book in my bathrobe or watch a movie or play a game with my sister. When people would call me, they asked me what I was doing. When I told them, they would be like "Oh. You're not doing anything. Can you take my shift today?"

Oh hell no. You just did not say that time to myself or time with my sister was 'not doing anything'.

I am a big believer in mental health days and those precious days off were my mental health days. No-one can take them from me.

[bhskittykatt]

People place value on different things. For some it's sports, for others, a couch. Importance is subjective.

If the Superbowl was that important, he should have requested it off well in advance. This isn't something that was just sprung on him. He could have asked for that day off months in advance.

Of course, I feel that if you ask for popular holidays like that off, forcing your CWs to cover your shift, you should also be prepared to cover their shifts in return. If I request a bunch of days off and my CWs have to come in and cover, it's only fair for me to return the favor when they need certain days off.