O/T and Cover Duty

[thegreatestfreddy]

Dear Union Colleagues....

In a revision repick I have recently taken a fixed Cover Duty (9 day fortnight) covering 3 rural deliveries X, Y and Z....

It has been raised by one of the guys that i obviously cover their days off (they are all 9 day fortnight jobs obviously themselves) that if they want to do a days O/T ie work one of their days off that they will be 'entitled' to work their own duty which means obviously then that i could get shunted onto anything on that particular day as a result of their wish to perform O/T .... is that fair and correct ??

to me i would say that if they wish to perform O/T then they should be flexible and prepared to perform the O/T where it is required and without inconveniencing anyone else for their own greed/benefit...

[littlehead]

i cover a floating duty and it is 'usually' only if i agree to do another duty, that they would be able to work their day off on their own duty, i say 'usually' because i have been instructed by my manager when there have been staff shortages to perform a different duty so that they can work their days off, (they have refused to do other duties other than their own on overtime when asked) but this is quite rare, im quite flexible and i know most of the other duties so i dont mind but i know that other floaters point blank refuse, our office policy is also that if a duty is on overtime the duty holder has first refusal over working their day off before anyone else is asked but thats only if its not covered ie. the floater is off too or sick ect.

[wingmanchillian]

Our DO works pretty much the same as Littlehead's.
We normally sort it out amongst ourselves, but it is a given that the cover has priority.

[thegreatestfreddy]

Thanks liitlehead and wingmanchillian for posting replies....

so basically just to clarify....

it is by agreement but i, as the 'cover' guy, have a right to insist that i cover the job that i am due to cover on the 'rotation' and if the regular chooses to work his/her day off (as O/T) then they could be told they have to work their day off on another duty.

hopes this clarifies things...!

[motherhubbard]

so basically just to clarify....

it is by agreement but i, as the 'cover' guy, have a right to insist that i cover the job that i am due to cover on the 'rotation' and if the regular chooses to work his/her day off (as O/T) then they could be told they have to work their day off on another duty.

You don't have the right to insist on anything.
Your manager can reasonably request you do any duty you are trained to do and he will cite operational needs.
Only if other floaters are treated differently could you "insist" on anything through the grievance procedure.
Your colleagues shouldn't stiff you. If they are knobends they will.

[POSTMAN]

Tell the duty holder to f**k off,also,you are a 'duty holder' as well,maybe you can knock the scum off when you need a bit of extra cash,there is obviously no difference.
Your manager will say the operational needs bollox but that is exactly what it is,bollox.

Managed by scum and working with scum,jobs a gooden.

[wingmanchillian]

I always thought operational needs was instances of mail arriving late etc etc.., not, "but that's the only OT they will do".

Of course a manager can make a reasonable request, but that doesn't mean you can't reasonable refuse that request. We do it all the time. Personal circumstances, relevant training and what not.

It is as simple as Postman points out, you are the duty holder on that day if it's a fixed cover duty you signed for.

[spoodoo]

For the last few years as mentioned before I was taken off my signed for floating job so a certain guy/guys could do there own duty and earn easy overtime money ,while I got moved to any old s**t in the office. This went on for years esp for one guy who used to brag about his easy overtime money in front of me .The worst thing for me was seeing this guy standing drunk at my signed for duty while I got told that morning were moving you.THe management knew he was coming in drunk but because he worked his day off turned a blinded eye,,,! I SHOULD be able to work my day off on there duty on my day off ,so then they'd get moved to somewhere different for that day ,,,,or is that just too fair"? To me it's in the same league or even worse than a scab ,but the bosses love all the infighting. These people are pieces of s**t,,,rant over."...

[thegreatestfreddy]

Thanks for your reiterations Wingmanchillian and Postman....

"It is as simple as Postman points out, you are the duty holder on that day if it's a fixed cover duty you signed for."

as you have pointed out i am the duty holder on that day... sparks will fly as these (some) have been too used to getting easy o/t in our office....

No More!

[newtimes]

Reading this thread and others there is a continual theme of "unfairness" and how many people get anoyed at the behaviour and can not accept it. I am one of them, and been suggested by the manager that I may have a problem. BUT I did some research and found fairness is normal behaviour, and one guy did research with monkeys and blew away the acedemic world when he proved "Capuchin monkeys reject unequal pay" linked to fairness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8mynrRd7Ak" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LinChong]

Reading this thread and others there is a continual theme of "unfairness" and how many people get anoyed at the behaviour and can not accept it. I am one of them, and been suggested by the manager that I may have a problem. BUT I did some research and found fairness is normal behaviour, and one guy did research with monkeys and blew away the acedemic world when he proved "Capuchin monkeys reject unequal pay" linked to fairness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8mynrRd7Ak" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stick your f***ing cucumber!