Cheeky or not? Partners as free labour for social events?
Discussion
Want this to be more lighthearted... So not jobs section.
My partner has a new job. Tomorrow is a company social. They have asked her AND ME - to go along and help set up this social tomorrow at 12am. She is not on amazing money - but works in a part of the organisation that realistically would do this. Obviously I'm not going to say the name of the company - but it's a big company who could afford to pay their staff to do this...
No doubt - I'll be there to do some lifting and carrying. For a few hours of my time it's not worth upsetting the apple cart, as she does like the job.
But am I not right in thinking it's a little cheeky to expect parters to be free labour for social events?
My partner has a new job. Tomorrow is a company social. They have asked her AND ME - to go along and help set up this social tomorrow at 12am. She is not on amazing money - but works in a part of the organisation that realistically would do this. Obviously I'm not going to say the name of the company - but it's a big company who could afford to pay their staff to do this...
No doubt - I'll be there to do some lifting and carrying. For a few hours of my time it's not worth upsetting the apple cart, as she does like the job.
But am I not right in thinking it's a little cheeky to expect parters to be free labour for social events?
photosnob said:
JungleJim said:
Midnight! that is cheeky.
LOL - erm lets change it to 12pm then. Just go and play golf or clean the car or whatever else you do on a Sunday if you don't want to. Obviously you don't have to, would she get sacked if she were single?
simoid said:
Or you could say "noon" which is entirely unambiguous.
Just go and play golf or clean the car or whatever else you do on a Sunday if you don't want to. Obviously you don't have to, would she get sacked if she were single?
Not sacked. But I don't think it would go down well. I'll be going - will be hard to bite my lip if the partners of her significantly more highly paid superiors are not partaking.Just go and play golf or clean the car or whatever else you do on a Sunday if you don't want to. Obviously you don't have to, would she get sacked if she were single?
It was just meant to be more tongue in cheek. Wondered if anyone else got this sort of treatment.
photosnob said:
It was just meant to be more tongue in cheek. Wondered if anyone else got this sort of treatment.
I used to get involved (and asked to volunteer) with my ex's work. She was/is a teacher and schools always have some sort of after hours stuff going on. Whether it was decorating a classroom, marking out a sponsored walk, fixing a slow PC, clearing the pond or digging over the veggie patch - things were constantly needing doing.I quite enjoyed it. It meant spending time with my ex and seeing her in her professional role along with her garnering brownie points from the Head. Perhaps it was slightly different because the ultimate goal was to make the kids have an improved learning environment rather just to boost the profits of a business?
photosnob said:
Wondered if anyone else got this sort of treatment.
It's a little bit similar in the military, where wives and partners are often "invited" to assist with functions, often with Mrs CO leading from the front.Difference is the military also offers a lot more in return and the domestic front is very close knit anyway.
Are you being asked out of a need for cheap labour or invited along so as to feel involved and as a get-to-know-you thing?
We have both helped out for each other, many times in different jobs, but only when we've asked each other, never been "requested" by celestial types...
Once my lovely wife came in to a Comet store after hours (shut at 20:00!) to clean every single tv with me and a couple of staff. Next day our anus of a manager walks in, not realising and starts saying "TVs are filthy, that was on yesterdays list". He was just trying to build his part, new to company, and made himself look a fool when I walked him over to the section. I had to point it out, not just for my wifes sake, but to avoid him being lynched by the staff...
Once my lovely wife came in to a Comet store after hours (shut at 20:00!) to clean every single tv with me and a couple of staff. Next day our anus of a manager walks in, not realising and starts saying "TVs are filthy, that was on yesterdays list". He was just trying to build his part, new to company, and made himself look a fool when I walked him over to the section. I had to point it out, not just for my wifes sake, but to avoid him being lynched by the staff...
Crossflow Kid said:
It's a little bit similar in the military, where wives and partners are often "invited" to assist with functions, often with Mrs CO leading from the front.
Difference is the military also offers a lot more in return and the domestic front is very close knit anyway.
Are you being asked out of a need for cheap labour or invited along so as to feel involved and as a get-to-know-you thing?
Possibly for those living in marries quarters... But I was a sapper in the block and never experienced that side of life. Difference is the military also offers a lot more in return and the domestic front is very close knit anyway.
Are you being asked out of a need for cheap labour or invited along so as to feel involved and as a get-to-know-you thing?
I think it's more free labour - I have an 'invite' for the function - which is free booze, but it takes the shine off it when I have to put up the marquee.
I've spoken to my partner though - she is going to head down without me. I'll go on the tube with her. If no other partners are present then my 'jobs' will extend to shopping for a few hours. If they are my 'jobs' will be popping to a post box. Seems fairer all around. Team player if it's a team game - and not a mug if it's not.
I wouldn't do it paid. Double fImpasse said:
I used to get involved (and asked to volunteer) with my ex's work. She was/is a teacher and schools always have some sort of after hours stuff going on. Whether it was decorating a classroom, marking out a sponsored walk, fixing a slow PC, clearing the pond or digging over the veggie patch - things were constantly needing doing.
I quite enjoyed it. It meant spending time with my ex and seeing her in her professional role along with her garnering brownie points from the Head. Perhaps it was slightly different because the ultimate goal was to make the kids have an improved learning environment rather just to boost the profits of a business?
It's very different helping out a public sector partner (particularly in education) to a private sector partner, though. What you did sounds like it does some good for the kids, parents and society in general. This guy is just helping out a big for-profit enterprise. I'd tell them to go fI quite enjoyed it. It meant spending time with my ex and seeing her in her professional role along with her garnering brownie points from the Head. Perhaps it was slightly different because the ultimate goal was to make the kids have an improved learning environment rather just to boost the profits of a business?
k themselves personally. photosnob said:
Think a really famous company - iconic you could say. Everyone on here would have heard of it. Everyone in the civilised world would have. I honestly can't say any more. I've said too much.
I'm guessing it's a manager with tight targets asking? Might be worth querying it with HR, definitely doesn't sound like something a large organisation would condone. Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff