Working nights - opinions needed!

[OrlandointheWilderness]

I started a new job at the start of March. Night work was not mentioned in the advert, in the interview or in the training. Since then the company is putting serious pressure on me to work nights. I've checked my contract and it states my hours are 'whatever the client requires'. Working night involves 8 hours on an empty building where I am assessing factory workers individually, the nearest person is about 15/20 mins away and tbh I felt incredibly vulnerable on the one time I've done it. I said I would try it to see if it would work.
Management are trying to say I told them in the interview I would be happy to do them - I did NOT say that. I wouldn't have applied for the job if I'd known.

I do not want to work nights. I even made a joke about thank god I'll never have to do that again in training! I'm on probation- I have no say in this do I?

Probation makes it harder to say no, but if you say yes now, where will it end? When you applied, were interviewed and started work, were normal hours mentioned? If you applied and accepted thinking the job was 9-5ish and maybe the odd early start or late finish, nights are unreasonable.

That is exactly the situation @BillieJ - I took the job on expecting 8-5 with maybe the odd hour late or early which wasn't an issue.

Are you the member of a union? If so, I would get advice from your regional office. If you don't love the job, I would be looking for another one. If you want to stay, what would be the reaction to a firm and polite refusal to working nights? It seems as if you may be giving them the impression that you can be persuaded.

Well I am - but the royal college of nursing! I'm on a year out before returning in oct. To year 3 as a student nurse. I'm only intending to be in the job until then. I suspect they will sack me tbh!