Changes to shift pattern for busy time

[Firstdateschannel4q24s]

So normal working week is 9-5.30 Mon to Fri however in this line of business we have 12 weeks of peak sales that have to be accommodated (I work in production so have to get these orders made) from Nov to Feb. Last year a 24 hour rota system was put in place and the same is happening this year. I refused to do any evening or night shifts last year which didn't go down well and I want the same this year. This hasn't gone down well with my line manager .am I being aibu

Is there any reason you think youre special and dont have to do the same as others?

No not special, I don't want to do them. They will employ extra seasonal staff that can cover the night shifts but line manager has said there has to be at least 1 full time member doing a night shift with them. There are 4 full timers available

If you are simply going to refuse, you can expect to get a bad reputation. Anyone who works in an area where there is a 24 /7 work timetable, can expect to be asked to do evening or night shifts. It's your choice but don't expect to be seen in a good light if you refuse.

BTW night and evening shifts are not the worst thing in the world ! I've done them for years and find them enjoyable since you are away from the daytime hassles.

You should get extra pay for doing night shifts?

If you aren’t willing or able to cover those shifts when they are part of the job, then I would seek other employment. It isn’t fair to your coworkers to have to work undesirable shifts more often because you refuse to be in the rotation.

Did you know about this when you took the job?

Yes extra pay and allowance

@snuggy
It was mentioned that it would get busy and at that time I was working a different job 9-5 then starting at 6pm -6am. I left the 9-5 job and went full time various shifts with current job. Some staff let go, others kept after peak period.

YABmassivelyU

I'm sure other staff members don't want to work those hours either, but they suck it up and get on with it.

Yes yabu, you are one of four fulltime staff, you knew about evening and overnight work, its temporary and over the christmas period. What makes you so special that you refuse to work these shifts? If i was one of the other full timers i would be deeply pissed off with you.

Reverse?

I worked with a bunch of people previously who refused to do any shifts because their precious school age children just possibly couldn't ever cope with mummy having to be at work after 3pm or on a weekend. In reality they were just lazy fuckers. One of them even had the gall to claim she couldn't work a weekend nightshift because 'what if my children need me during the night' because obviously her 9-5 Mon-Fri husband couldn't possibly be expected to, I don't know, fucking parent on the weekend?

The result of this meant that it was only me and 1 other man doing night shifts, essentially tag teaming 4 on 4 off. It's massively unfair on your colleagues to not pull your weight and expect them to pick up your slack. If you don't want to do shifts then find a job somewhere else.

Honestly your attitude wouldn't even be tolerated at my work place you would just be rota'd on and dealt with appropriately if you didn't turn up. Why should your colleagues pick up the slack because you can't be arsed?

But if I can get someone to swap with me then problem solved. I work evenings at another job 6-10pm and have said I could change that so there is a compromise from me

I think you are either willing to do a job or you aren't and in this case you need another job. It's not your colleagues responsibility to fit around your other commitments.

Hang on, there are 2 different things here.
"I'm not prepared to work unsociable hour shifts" as an attitude sucks, and is totally unfair on the other 3 people.
"Guys, I'm really sorry, but i have a second job that involves working evenings, so evening and night shifts are really hard for me. Could I perhaps do all the weekend shifts to try and balance both jobs?" Might still not go down well, but is a lot better than the first response, which is how you portrayed it in your early messages.

If this was outlined as a part of the job when you joined, then refusing all shifts outside Monday to Friday daytime is unreasonable. Expecting only to do say 1 week in 4 given the number of full-time staff would be reasonable, or offering to do weekend shifts perhaps, but a refusal as I don't like it is.

I would fire you. Totally unreasonable and self centred.

Depends on what's written in your contract. If it outlines set hours then YANBU. If it indicates that you are expected to work based on business needs then YABU.

I have not signed or returned my contract.

This all sounds a bit dodgy, how long have you been there?

How have you not signed a contract when you were there last Christmas too?

Even if you have signed and returned the contract if you have continued to turn up for work and accept your pay for more than s couple of months you are deemed to have accepted the terms of the contract.

In which case you have zero employee rights, and unless I'm mistaken they have no obligation to pay you?
Do you have your contract and just haven't signed it? Or have you never been issued one?

Oh I didn't know that @lonecatwithkitten