To think this is a pretty brutal shift pattern?

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

I work five shifts in seven, 8.5 hour days. Sometimes my days off are together, sometimes they arent. An early is 7.30-4, a late is 2.30-11. Its the leisure trade and we are exempt from the Working Time Directive, and as such, at least once a week, if not twice, a Late will be followed by an Early. I and everyone who does the hates them but they are a necessary evil.

What I am questioning, is whether it is unreasonable to think it is unfair that I am in on an eight day stint? My next day off is a week tomorrow.

My bosses response is I have had four days off together ending Sunday gone. So? I should now forgo a day off for eight shifts? Especially as she knows I dont mind having split days off (one day off, back on shift then another day off later in the week).

I have a 2.5yo little girl, so every late shift is followed by an early start. I am also 16 weeks pregnant.

When I returned to work after having DD I made no requests for set hours,reduced hours, compressed hours etc, I simply returned as I was doing before I had her. Everyone else who has young children has made and been granted flexible working requests. I feel daft not having made a request when I could.

It is also making me seriously consider what to do when this LO arroves.

So....I digress....AIBU to think my eight shifts in a row, a mixture of lates and earlies, is totally unreasonable?

Moon there are certain jobs that are not covered by the working time directive and or some contracts require you to opt out, so some of us are exempt from the 11hours rest.

Can someone provide a link explaining how the leisure industry is exempt from the WTD, as I have never heard of it before?

It sounds like unscrupulous tightwad employers exploiting desperate workers IMHO, but they get away with it because there is always enough people who have no choice but to work for them and don't know their rights or fear that if they try to stand up to employers they will either lose their jobs or not be given any hours at all, as they are likely to be on a zero hours contract .

The early shift following a late shift sounds especially brutal, surely you should have at least one day off between a late to early change?

CAB Document states within it that you are entitled to reste between 10pm and 6am or 11pm and 7am however some Industries (and hospitality is included) are not inclided.

I thought that when you opted out, it was only out of the maximum 48 hours per week, not the other requirements?

I work in nhs. I can have a couple of day shifts 7.30am-8.30pm & a couple of night shifts 8pm-8am in the space of 4 days,it's a killer, but then I might get 4 days off in a row, or I might not!
Thats the joys of nursing!
I feel your pain OP, your shifts do appear brutal

At least you know your shift patterns. Many workers work as, when and where needed with no warning and it's expected as part of their salaried job.

None of these jobs are great.

DH is in that industry. Pretty par for the course. So are split shifts.

I agree, you know your shift pattern that sounds fantastic to me. My dh worked shifts for years, it could change at the drop of a hat. I agree though, not great.

I do the same ( Nursing), lates followed by earlies and I often get no sleep inbetween due to anxiety/ stress, it's horrible. Is there any way you can reduce your hours so that you don't get such long stretches, especially when you have a second child.

I did those kind of shift patterns (nursing) until I changed to Monday - Friday 9-5 hours.

Never again will I go back to shift work if I can help it. I feel 10 yrs younger since changing my job.

Could you swap shifts with someone to change the pattern? Also, it's not too late to request a flexible working pattern, you can do so at any point if you have good reason.

Late onto early is a killer. New year's week I did late to earl to late to early for the whole week and a bit of the next. I looked worse than people who'd been partying. It's normal for me to do 10 -15 days in a row. I'm sorry but I've no idea how to make it better.

I've had to work 16 day stints before, up to 14 hours out of the house a day.

It's horrible but it's just the nature of my job, I also get weeks without any work at all which actually annoy me more with bills needing to be paid.

Your company is technically right, you're getting the right amount of days off in each block of 7, it's just unfortunate how they've fallen.