The 'trial' job did not go as planned.

Friday, my manager took me to meet the staff who do the stock control. He asked the one colleague to give me some training, she declined, stating she was about to go on break. My manager asked if she could do it after her break, she stated she wasn't going to be in on Wednesday anyway, so there was no point. Friendly!

My manager then took me to the stock control manager and introduced me, she seemed nice enough. She told me to find a certain colleague on Wednesday morning and to work with her for a few hours and be trained.

Wednesday morning, I espied the colleague in the kitchen and asked if she'd been told I was working with her this morning. She knew nothing about it. Now, that's on the managers, who should have told her, however her attitude was on her alone. She stated it was her job, she didn't need any help, and didn't want my help as she wasn't behind. Nice! I confess, I felt somewhat nonplussed and went back to my usual work area, told the supervisor what had passed, and went out Picking. After about an hour, a colleage informed me that the stock control manager had had a word with the colleague, and for me to go and work with her. I stated, to the supervisor, that I had no desire to work with somebody that doesn't want my help!

She cajoled me anyway, the colleague apologised, and we spent an hour training. By this time, my wrist was hurting considerably due to the cold. Stickers were sticking to my glove, and the colleague said it's not the job for gloves. I stated I had arthritis in my wrist, and the cold was hurting me. I asked to go to break, but we were 'too busy.' Oh, I've worked with somebody like this before, and I'm not playing that game! After a further half hour, she released me and I went and got a coffee, all the while rubbing my wrist to get it warm again.

I then went and found her manager, explained how the cold is hurting my wrist, and I apologised and said I couldn't do that job. She was fine, said at least I gave it a go, and she released me back to picking. Some other schmuck can work with that colleague, I have no desire to work in what could become a toxic environment, again.

We have 3 new starters, and managers should have known there wasn't enough work on our section before giving them permanent contracts. This isn't my problem, I have a contract, I'm in the union, and I'm one of their most reliable staff members. I'm going to stick to the job I was contracted to do...