to campaign for rights and respect for shift workers?

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

Seriously. I can no longer cope.

Bloody postman just knocked and asked if I was having 'a lazy day' because I was in my pyjamas. No, dickhead. This is my night time. I didn't ask if he was having 'a lazy day' because he didn't get my post to me until almost 3pm, did I? No, I assumed he had other shit going on.

I also get it from Tesco delivery men and random gits trying to sell me various wank.

It's fucking annoying. I'm not lazy. I've been up all night watching over your loved ones.

Then there's the numerous relatives who phone me (keep my phone on in case DS needs me) while I'm sleeping despite knowing I'll be asleep and beginning the conversation with 'sorry, Joff, I know you're sleeping...'

WTAF?

And don't get me started on sales people. You tell them you can't talk, you're in bed because you're working that night. They ask if they can call tomorrow. Er, how about 'no'?

Icing on the cake was my parents who turned up randomly, got me out of bed so I could make them tea despite having just come from a fucking coffee morning, then an hour or so later calling me even though I told them I was going back to bed and then calling me again this morning because when they phoned yesterday I sounded grumpy and unenthusiastic.

FFS! I don't phone or visit people at 3am, do I? Nope!

Why do some people just not understand that to work all night, we need to sleep during the day? My dad, for example, thinks that 2 hours sleep after a night shift is ample.

We need rights. The rights to sleep. The right to wear pyjamas during the day.

We need to go on a pride march. Providing we're not working, of course.

Anyone?

Madness isn't it? When DH does nights he will stay up and maybe have a beer and watch TV because that is his "evening" but what commonly happens is he has to sleep but set an alarm to ensure he sleeps a little that night as he will be on an early the next day. He does phone off, landline disconnected and absolutely refuses to have any "house" appointments made during his nighttime. I couldn't do it.

I agree with the suggestions to put a sign on the door and put your phone on silent. Perhaps if you use Twitter you could tweet Royal Mail to make them aware of why you'd be in pyjamas? I'm not a shift worker and always answer the door in pyjamas and have never had a comment. I do take my hat off to you though, and all shift workers. I had naively assumed that you'd be suitably recompensed in time/extra money but sadly that doesn't seem to be the case.

truffle I am a supervisor for 999 and 101 call handlers. I'm guessing you are in a similar environment? My husband is a police officer so he also does the 6 days on 4 days off, but different to mine so we only get 1 day off in 4 together.

Doorbell off and note on the door not to knock.
Phone on do not disturb. Only the dses numbers will call out.
Eye mask and earplugs.

That's the only way I cope. You do have to be firm and not worry about offending people. People who haven't done nights just don't get it.

I've had 13 years of nights and 2 weeks left before I re-enter the land of the living. I'll still have to do some nights but only a week here and there. Can't wait!

Find where they live and knock on their doors at 3 am ring your parents randomly through the night just for a natter. Dd has just come home from a night shift so im alll in support for shift workers getting some peace.

LikeDylan I normally eat breakfast if I can be bothered, otherwise I just go straight to bed. I do tend to need to read for about an hour before going to sleep though. Even though I've worked tons of nights, I still tend to wake up early afternoon and have to faff about for a couple of hours before going back to sleep again. But I do 12.5 hr shifts so I do the same on days, just read then go straight to bed.

I frequently switch from days to nights in the same week. This is my schedule coming up soon over a few weeks:
Day, Day, x3 days off, Night, Night, 1 post night day and x2 days off, Day, Day, day off, Day, Day, day off, day off, Night, Night, 1 post night day and x2 days off, Day, Day, Night, Night.
Fuck, it's no wonder I frequently feel like I'm going mad!

Christ Golden that's bloody brutal.

Utter joy today
Woken by phone at 11am asking for payment for car repair. Fine, I told them the day before not before 3pm for bringing it back
Woman on phone "they'll be with you in an hour!"
No. You woke me at 11am and you want me to stay up until noon, then probably half 12 before I get back to bed so 2.5hrs sleep

Oh Hollin they'd have felt my wrath!

Feel your pain. And everything is so fucking LOUD during the day. Traffic. Deliveries. Lawn Mowers. Roadworks. Strimmers.

I don't do shifts anymore but when I did (London Underground) the thing that used to piss me off more than anything was the judgment on nights out! My "weekend" could be a Tuesday/Wednesday. Pre DS when I was carefree and spent "weekends" in the pub socialising, the looks I'd get

In a kind of "look at how she's necking them back and it's only Tuesday. Well. Fuck you. Because we get tested for drugs and alcohol so damn right I'm going to have my fill in the first evening. And besides which, it's my equivalent of your bloody FRIDAY!!

When i worked permanent nights (NHS) even the bloody managers didnt get it wanting us to attend ward meetings and training etc after a night shift or on days off, i was once asked if i would come in two hrs early for some mainly irrelevant training when i declined i was met with but rhe trainer is going out of her way to provide this training as she works 9_5 well good for her but i normally work 8.45pm untill 7.30am and thats long enough if she would like to come in at 5am when i,m on shift then i will sit through her training ,funnily enough she wouldnt do that

x2boys I work alternate weeks of nights then days. To be fair, we have some people on permanent nights and our manager/junior sisters will come in for 6am to do their appraisals!