Education & Work Forced to work overnights

It shouldn't be about being tougher though, too much shift work which isn't structured correctly and follows established best practices is harmful to mental and physical health.
It reduces life expectancy, damages relationships, is associated with weight gain, excessive alcohol consumption and it can suck.

 

@Tim86 - long service in the building industry is portable, so you shouldn't be losing this if you quit, just your unused sick leave.

 

Not in the building industry. I build my own stuff on the side though.

Got to just hang in until october to get my long service leave.

Makes it harder to quit right now too because when you are doing a building project on the side you kind of want to keep the current income and the days you work so that you can keep the days free that you need to finish what you started.

 

Hmm, wait till long service leave then get something else lined up? Maybe one that you can start after 1-2 weeks break

 

OMG - your LSL is in 3 months? No question... ride it out.

 

For sure...

My mum was going to tell her employer that she was retiring on a Monday and give the required notice. The previous Friday they made her redundant with about 9 months pay!!

 

Definitely

I thought of this song reading your post.quite appropriate in @Tim86 's situation

 

Why not get the business from home you were discussing a while ago off the ground?

 

New EBA's are meant to be voted on by people employed there. So who voted for the new EBA with the crappy roster? See here: Fair Work Australia

They also have to have provision in them for flexibility arrangements.. if you signed an individual contract upon employment 5 years ago, then you're not covered by the terms of the EBA anyway. You're still covered by the terms of your original contract, unless your company has 'forced/tricked' you into signing a new one?

 

LSL is pro-rated, isn't it? Is there much benefit in getting to the full period?

(Never worked long enough in one job to look into it much!)

 

I got pro rata LSL after 8 years. I think the minimum is 7.

 

Shift work is bad you don't have to explain to me ,my partner is on rotating shift. Days one week, after noons and nights the next.

She is currently studying to find new work.

It sucks but it is what it is

I can't feel "sorry" for the OP

 

Just got a scathing email reply from my boss. Firstly here is the email I sent the rostering crew:

"Hi. I don't envy your job right now. Organizing these very difficult rosters with equally difficult people must be absolute hell!

I've returned a counter proposal for the roster.

I know it's give and take with these sorts of things. I don't mind working until 10pm or midnight. I know a lot of people with families don't like those shifts because they never get to see their kids. So that's what I'm prepared to give. What I would ask that you please don't take is my overnights. I really don't want to work overnights. I've done them before here, I've chipped in. But they are horrible and dangerous soul destroying shifts. Last time I worked them I had some nights where I was shaking too much to be able to use the mouse to click and answer calls. I persevered last time and did my part regardless. I really really don't want to be forced to work overnights again please.

I'm also just wondering. With the forced overnight shifts that we are being given, how long will we be forced to work them for? Will it be like in the past when I've done overnight shifts where I was guaranteed that I was allowed to drop the shift after doing it for 6 months? Or will I be forced to work this roster until I quit?

Thanks for your consideration"

I also sent a follow up email demonstrating how the current proposed roster would impact my sleep as I would only get the opportunity to get 5 hours sleep over a 64hr period due to the 10pm start then 4am start then 4pm start. I asked to please not be forced to work that roster as it would literally kill me from the fatigue causing a car accident.

...

Anyway thats what I sent in. I did actually have a good mate die from a car accident because of fatigue. And losing that friend does make me take the issue very seriously.

Here is the reply my boss sent:

"Tim

I have seen this and other responses you have sent the rostering team regarding this - and to be honest your comments are completely inappropriate and out of line.

You are aware of the process and I have clearly spelt out that there will be an opportunity to discuss proposed changes with me or **** where we can't accommodate initial requests. This is a fair process that gives everyone an opportunity to work things out in a mature way.

Instead you have chosen to respond in the manner you have to staff who are only doing their job (and working extremely hard to get the work done). Your response is disrespectful to them and reflects very poorly on your own attitude.

If you have a problem with something you come and see me - but do not ever, ever respond to **** or **** in the manner you have.

I'm completely unimpressed by the argument that you "have done their bit". You knowingly signed up for this work which requires people to work in a shift environment. That's the "bit" we ask everyone to do - whether you have been here two weeks or two years. If you don't like having to do your "bit" I strongly encourage you to think very critically about whether this is the right place for you to be working.

Tim - I expected far better than this from you.

If you are making a counter proposal please do so as requested in my original email. If not please indicate your agreement to the original proposed roster..."


Interestingly I said in the interview for the job that I didnt want the job if it meant doing overnights. They said I wouldnt have to.

Also I've previously volunteered to pick up night shifts so that I didnt have to pick them up later when I was in the middle of a building project like I am now. Because I was told that if I did overnights I would be on the bottom of the list to be asked to do them again.

And the comments I sent through were sent because the roster proposal form literally had a section that said "reason for change" so I said my reasons.

And thats the response I get for sharing my concerns...

 

If that email from you was all you sent, you have been polite (though I think you said 'please' too many times).

Talk to the Union for advice.

Do you have a record of the ’no nights' agreement ( though you also said you had chosen to do overnights at times?)

 

Sounds like you got someone in hot water? Did you go over your managers head by sending the email to **** and ***** ?

 

Nope sent it to the rostering team as directed and obviously he is overseeing that team right now.

 

That is literally all I sent through. I had to check that I didnt accidentally send something mean... but nah thats all I sent.

 

That's the point you need to push. But unfortunately in a shift work environment everyone should do their bit ... but people should be able to preference their shifts or have some say. Some people may want to nights for extra $ or suits them

They might be copping it from everyone atm and telling the boss to get fluffed too