Is it unreasonable to work contracted hours?

[Questionwork]

I have only ever had one job where I wasn’t expected or encouraged to work beyond my contracted hours. Bearing in mind I never received extra pay.

Yet again I find myself in a job where expectations are high, there isn’t enough manpower and to meet my deadlines I am having to work long hours.

I don’t work in banking or law or any sector where I’d be paid enough to work like crazy.

Is this normal? Will I ever find a normal 9-5 job? Does this even exist anymore?

Help!

I’m a retired anaesthetist. A colleague found the perfect answer to this problem years ago.
He did a regular operating list with a surgeon who overbooked it every week, so the anaesthetist was working unpaid overtime as the list always overran.
He warned the surgeon that he was documenting the overruns, and would claim the time back. Arse didn’t believe him, but when the overrun reached 8 hours, the anaesthetist cancelled an entire op list scheduled for a few weeks later.
They never overran again!

Too many employers take advantage. I used to do extra when I was younger. Now I don’t. Hasn’t made a difference to anything. You’re not being belligerent expecting to be paid for work you do. If you’re genuinely working above and beyond, day in, day out, you have too much work. It’s amazing how often when one person leaves an organization, they’re replaced with two.

I don't work over my hours, no. I'm efficient when I'm there and my job doesn't require it. We are understaffed and there's always more to do, but that's a management issue. I do what I can in the hours I'm paid for.

Only at expected very busy periods I will do a few extra hours but it's logged and I take the time back.

@89redballoons do we have the same life? My husband works in supply chain and logistics too 😆 Sorry to hear your job requires so much overtime. It really isn’t fair especially when you have so much to do with the kids outside of work!