Changes to days we work/rest days

[Propadopa]

Hi guys. New starter here

Been on the rounds for about 3 months now and have gotten to know fellow new starters at my place and some of the veterans who have helped us etc. We all work 5 days out of Mon-Sat 8am-pm and 9am-2pm.

The jobs we took were all part time and were advertised as Mon-Sat with those hours and especially the Saturday being mentioned as a must during the interview which I was fine with.

During my brief time here I got accustomed to the pattern of your rest days, so if it was Monday off last week, it’s Tuesday off next week, Wednesday the week after etc etc. Until you finally get a Saturday off, followed by the Monday again so you effectively get a long weekend off every 6 weeks etc.

Today (Saturday) was told my rest day had been changed to Monday, I queried about the Saturday being my next day off according to the pattern we’d been working from. Now they have stolen all new starters Saturdays from them saying we are contracted wed-sun, and that is absolute nonsense because the job listing was 100% mon-sat and EVERYONE who is a new starter has worked to that pattern only to find out today about the sudden change. In my short time here we’ve never worked a Sunday and during the application and interview process it was only stipulated about the Saturday being a working obligation but you get one off every 6 weeks etc.

I will be contacting HR over this but is their any advice from people on here regarding this?

Cheers

[world class male]

contact the union rep if they are trying to change your contracted shifts
though guessing you are still a reserve so they can give you a random day off every week but you're still entitled to average 1 in 6 sats off

[Propadopa]

Thanks for the quick response, had spoke to the other new starters and will go and see our union rep first thing on Tuesday when we are all back in. And yes I assumed it was as you stated 1 in 6 saturdays etc

It’s the first real negative thing that’s happened and best to get on top of it straight away instead of letting them just get away with it without raising the issue. Aside from that the job has been fine as well, heavy days, light days but always getting it done, no real issues until this out of the blue left the weekend a bit negative.

[clashcityrocker]

I would check your contract.
I thought all new entrants had Sunday working in their contract.

[Propadopa]

Yh did, it has no mention of Sunday. In fact it doesn’t mention any days at all. The job advert absolutely said mon-sat. But you are correct all recent job postings have had mon-sun I have noticed. This was a job advert from January but started in April. It’s just the way we’ve all worked so far was to the mon-sat rota and have had a Saturday (long weekend off already) so for them to suddenly change like this is a bit off but probably par for the course of what they can get away with, but not something I’m willing to just say ok to straight away without finding out more etc also when queried manager said we won’t be working sundays anyway so I don’t understand

[tomtallis]

They've learned a few lessons of late including the one about turning up the heat under the frog in the pan of water rather than throwing them in when it's boiling.
Probably had too many new starters quit within days as they've revealed that the job is s**t from day one. 1 in 6 is a pipe dream unless you organise and don't back down. I only had a rolling day off and every 6th Saturday when I had my own walk. And the old "you get the day off of the duty you're on" is utter bullshit too as I had Saturdays taken from me.
In short the screws are c***s and will f**k you over to make their lives easier.

[Propadopa]

Yh absolutely hear what your saying about the slow boil now, a lot of new starters have already quit after a few days when realising what the job entails etc, that’s the thing so far the job has been fine and I’ve been all over the place on my own and van shares etc, always in early to help prep a bit to speed things up, always take absorbtion when back early, don’t mind any of it tbh it’s only part time and suits my needs for school runs etc etc just when you get that feeling that somethings off when things like this happen out the blue with a like it or lump it attitude you start to wonder about the whole thing. I’m willing to not back down over this and will wait for union rep to advise before going to HR with it, let’s see what happens

[alanmichalczuk]

Tell them that your religion forbids you to work on Sundays.

[gimba]

That literally means nothing, and will be a conduct if you're meant to be working that day

[Propadopa]

Quick update for anyone who was interested.

Been working the usual Rota Mon-Sat, last week rest day was Friday, so i noticed my next rest day was Monday and not Saturday as per the topic posted.

I queried again with manager about my rest day being Saturday etc, going by the rota we have been working too, and have had the Saturday off followed by the Monday etc.

So I came in on my rest day today to work and saw my rest day has been changed to Saturday now! Don’t ask me how, but I do know my manager contacted HR to find out what the deal is for new starters and today my rest day has been changed to what it should be according to the rota I’d been working to.

Happy days, hopefully this has been rectified going forward now. Cheers for everyone’s input

[guardianangel]

Leave while you can before you do too many years and have too much too lose,the good days are over they will use you like a victorian slave,it could take you 10 to 15 years to get your own duty and then it will be the worst one.

[Propadopa]

Tbh As I’m part time it suits my needs etc

A lot of the old guys at my place have said as much the glory days are over. But they also all said there isn’t a hard duty in our office so don’t stress them changing you about, I’m fairly decent at the job, always clear a frame so far within my hours, on the rare occasion I’ve took a bit back it’s not been an issue. I live 2 minutes from my office and know the local area well so I haven’t stressed the chopping and changing as a reserve etc, maybe one day it will wear thin on me but for now it’s all good for me so far.

But I totally understand what you’re getting at and hear as much from several veterans