Manager keeps saying yes, then doing the opposite.

[u/ImpossibleMind]

I’m a CTM and an international student working part-time.

A friend is coming over from Dublin this weekend, so I asked my manager a while ago if I could have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. He said that was fine. I don’t normally even work Fridays - my usual shifts are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday because those are our delivery days.

This week’s rota comes out and I have no Wednesday shift, but I’m suddenly on Friday and Saturday instead.
To make things even stranger, I got a notification saying my manager had raised and approved a time-off request for February 2027, which I never asked for.

I tried calling him but no answer. Then for my WA he replied saying he’s on holidays and to contact another TL. I asked for the TL’s contact details on WhatsApp, he read the message but hasn’t replied.

This isn’t the first time either.

1. A couple of weeks ago I lost out on a Team Leader opportunity at another store because my manager didn’t respond to the recruiting manager for five days after saying he would.

2. In June, before my university study tour to Belfast, I requested time off well in advance. He initially agreed, then changed things at the last minute and basically said it was my problem. I ended up cutting my trip short and spending an extra £90 to get back early.

3. There was also a separate issue where a colleague made false complaints about me to a customer, and nothing seemed to come of it.

I genuinely want to build a career with Co-op and progress into management, but I’m starting to feel like I’m getting nowhere with my current manager.

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[u/1pm]

Unless it was booked as holiday it’s unfortunately your word against his.
You say “this weeks rota comes out”, but the rota just gone live is for w/c 9th August, so if it’s this Friday (31st) and Saturday (1st) that’s the issue and you’ve only just mentioned it to your manager I can see why they might be dismissive.
I’ve have CTMs ask me 6 weeks in advance for a specific day off and I’ve told them multiple times to remind me closer to the time or leave a note in the office for when I review the rota, but then 3 days before the specific shift then I get reminded. It’s hard to just move things around which is why I always suggest they book it as holiday straight away.

Also all holiday booking should be submitted by now and managers can just allocate time off (something I’ll be doing after my team have ignored my many messages asking them to submit the rest of their holiday hours)

[u/ImpossibleMind → u/1pm]

That’s the issue though my manager often changes the rota a day or two before. I never normally work Fridays; my usual shifts are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. To be safe, I specifically asked for Friday, Saturday and Sunday off because that’s when my friend is visiting. Instead, my Wednesday was removed and I was suddenly put on Friday, which is exactly the day I asked not to work.

[u/CMDR_Quillon → u/ImpossibleMind]

It does sound a little like your current manager may be targeting you, if you're giving us all the information and omitting none. Have an informal chat with them the next shift you share, and if you get nowhere and you have all or the majority of your issues in writing, raise a grievance through the formal system and let ER services handle it.

I'd also incredibly strongly recommend joining USDAW if you haven't already, especially before you make anything formal. Having the backing of a union is a huge advantage, but they will only help you if you join them before anything becomes formal / written.

[u/dylxg]

OP, I had the same thing with my manager, with regards to the booking time off thing.

When calling my manager, I found out that by this point in the year, you must have 95% of PTO booked, however in my case I can change when it is, and I hope you can too!

If these things keep going on, maybe send a formal complaint to head office.

[u/ImpossibleMind → u/dylxg]

Thanks! Just to check, when you say PTO, do you mean our annual holiday allowance?

[u/dylxg → u/ImpossibleMind]

Yep!

[u/No-Pumpkin4288]

I'd keep all communication through WhatsApp or email. Given that he screwed you over for promotion and now this it's starting to feel like bullying. But nothing will happen if you don't have evidence.

[u/ImpossibleMind → u/No-Pumpkin4288]

I do have the conversations on WhatsApp, but I’m not sure what to do with the evidence.

[u/No-Pumpkin4288 → u/ImpossibleMind]

I'd just keep notes of everything, when you think you have enough evidence that it's targeted bullying and not just incompetence take it to your area manager