[crimson]

Our schedule normally works like this; we work 7 days & then have 2 days off....
We could work 2 / 3 night shifts ; then a QUICK CHANGE to 2 / 3 aft shifts [the quick change means u clock out at 7h15 and must be back at work on the same day no later than 14h45]; then a QUICK CHANGE to 2 / 3 day shifts [u clock out at 23h15 and must be back at work early the next morning no later than 6h45]...

I tell you... the majority of us can bargain on 2-3 hours of sleep on these "quick" changes. By the time my last day shift arrives I am spent and soul weary.
My 1st off day is spent lying on the couch, a proverbial couch potato... eating junk food and then suddenly finding that I fell asleep without realising it was actually going to happen!? The next day is spent rushing around or not [which means I never get to do all I should] and then the following day my 7 day week starts again.

We as a Surveillance Department would rather opt to work 4x 12 hours shifts and then have 4 days OFF in which to recover... I tell you it sounds like absolute bliss!

But, upper management is fighting us tooth and nail on it!
They maintain they tried it once years ago, this was with another company & another
Surveillance Department and with a completely different set of people!

We also want these shifts as it would mean a saving on gas / petrol and given the economic climate [!!] this would also serve to give us some peace of mind financially.

I would really appreciate your feedback as I will use it as meat for my "fight".


Best regards,
Miche'le