ruggedscot
Electrical
- Feb 17, 2003
- 416
Im posting this query in an effort to try and get some feedback from other people that work in similar situations. We are currently going through a reassesment of the way that we work with a view to changing the current structure.
Just now I work as a facilities engineering technician and I work a shift system that provides cover to a data centre.
The shift system basically covers the sites and ensures that there is a technician on site 24/7/365. Now the problem starts in that the management want to re arrange the patterns so that there is a better work/life basis for the technicians and that they are provided with a call out cover facility there should they need it.
The current pattern worked comprises of three 7 day shifts 8 hours long and a daywork pattern 5 days long. The shifts being 7 lates 2-10, 5 rest days, 7 earlies 6-2, 2 rest days, 7 nights 10-6, 7 rest days, 5 dayworks 8-4:30, 2 rest days and then the pattern repeats.
It has been decided that this pattern does not provide cover for sickness and as such relies too heavily on overtime to make up. So they want to bring in a pattern that provides for this.
The first pattern was totally out of it as it has us doing a mix of shift with rapid changes between shifts, not good for family life or for health, and this came from a shift pattern consultant!
The proposals evolved and then we ended up with a pattern that was roughly similar to the one that we worked just now with no day works involved and some on call days included in the pattern. As it stands this new pattern has a significant reduction in weekends off which again impacts family life. The pattern itself changing as the oncall shifts are not fixed and vary. The pattern starts with 7 early shifts followed by two rest days. 7 night shifts followed by 5 rest days. 7 back shifts followed by two rest days and then 7 unassigned shifts that are pre arranged to suit what ever shifts are off, or will be normal day shifts if not required. After that we get a twelve day block, but this block contains either 2 or 3 oncall shifts so we get either nine or ten rest days.
Im not at all sure if this is really a great change as it has so much impact on us in regard to the existing pattern that we work. I cant help but feel that it is indeed an attempt to reduce the amount of over time that is worked and thus a way to reduce our earnings.
Im really looking for some comments on what people think of the proposed pattern compared to the existing pattern and Id also like to try and gain an understanding on what the earnings are for someone who works as a facilities technician.
Again we have been subjected to the dreaded benchmarking exercises and I feel that these exercises are only a way to try and reduce the amount that we get paid.....
afterall from reading the posts here it would appear that the benchmarking is only trotted out when employees moan about wages and seems to be used as a stick to beat us down.
Rugged
Just now I work as a facilities engineering technician and I work a shift system that provides cover to a data centre.
The shift system basically covers the sites and ensures that there is a technician on site 24/7/365. Now the problem starts in that the management want to re arrange the patterns so that there is a better work/life basis for the technicians and that they are provided with a call out cover facility there should they need it.
The current pattern worked comprises of three 7 day shifts 8 hours long and a daywork pattern 5 days long. The shifts being 7 lates 2-10, 5 rest days, 7 earlies 6-2, 2 rest days, 7 nights 10-6, 7 rest days, 5 dayworks 8-4:30, 2 rest days and then the pattern repeats.
It has been decided that this pattern does not provide cover for sickness and as such relies too heavily on overtime to make up. So they want to bring in a pattern that provides for this.
The first pattern was totally out of it as it has us doing a mix of shift with rapid changes between shifts, not good for family life or for health, and this came from a shift pattern consultant!
The proposals evolved and then we ended up with a pattern that was roughly similar to the one that we worked just now with no day works involved and some on call days included in the pattern. As it stands this new pattern has a significant reduction in weekends off which again impacts family life. The pattern itself changing as the oncall shifts are not fixed and vary. The pattern starts with 7 early shifts followed by two rest days. 7 night shifts followed by 5 rest days. 7 back shifts followed by two rest days and then 7 unassigned shifts that are pre arranged to suit what ever shifts are off, or will be normal day shifts if not required. After that we get a twelve day block, but this block contains either 2 or 3 oncall shifts so we get either nine or ten rest days.
Im not at all sure if this is really a great change as it has so much impact on us in regard to the existing pattern that we work. I cant help but feel that it is indeed an attempt to reduce the amount of over time that is worked and thus a way to reduce our earnings.
Im really looking for some comments on what people think of the proposed pattern compared to the existing pattern and Id also like to try and gain an understanding on what the earnings are for someone who works as a facilities technician.
Again we have been subjected to the dreaded benchmarking exercises and I feel that these exercises are only a way to try and reduce the amount that we get paid.....
afterall from reading the posts here it would appear that the benchmarking is only trotted out when employees moan about wages and seems to be used as a stick to beat us down.
Rugged
