(24 Mar 2015, 8:22 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Serious question: if someone is under no obligation to say ''yes'' to somebody, can I say ''no'' to an authority figure in any circumstance?
I remember one day last year not long after I started working at the WW2 Bomb Shelter that is 0800 Repair, one of the Managers asked me if I would go and make herself and few of the other members of staff a Cup of Tea/Coffee as I had got into work early, I replied no to the Manager, she said I asked you nicely, now go and do it please, I again said no and asked where in the Job Description of a Customer Service Advisor Apprentice does it say make Tea/Coffee for the Manager and other Members of Staff.
Which I was then firmly told to stop being rude, I apologised and then on purposefully went and made myself a cup of Tea much to the amusement of the members of staff who were enjoying the back and fourth between Myself and the Manager to kick start there Morning, the Manager wasnt amused in the slightest and made a sarky comment aimed at me when I sat back down at my Computer, in which I replied well if you wanted someone to make the Tea/Coffee then you should of employed a Tea Lady, those who were sat around me and could hear what was being said burst out laughing, the Manager then eventually got up and went and made the Tea/Coffees herself, I then asked her if that was difficult when she sat back down at her desk, she told me to less my Sarcasm, I replied I was just curious and cracked on with doing some Graft as it had just turned 9am which was when I was supposed to start my shift.
So in answer to your "Serious Question" Marcus, I would say Yes you can say No to an Authority Figure.
And yes my fellow NEB Members I can be an Argumentative Sarcastic Twat when I want to be, in all fairness though I was in a pretty good mood that morning and thought it would be a good idea to have a bit of banter with the Manager and other Members of Staff, unfortunately that went over the Managers Head and she completely misinterpreted what I was doing, She had a word with me later in the day after she had calmed down a bit and spoken to other members of staff, I simply said I was just joking about and made the Tea for myself for added effect to further wind her up a bit, suppose it was expected as she was Blond.