Aibu 6.20am train for a meeting

[Chantholtmouse]

Is it unreasonable of my workplace to expect me to get a 6.20am train to attend work meetings and training 300 miles away? I absolutely don't mind attending but a 6.20am train seems unreasonable. It's the only one that would get me there in time. I'd have to be up at 4.45am to quickly shower, dress, walk the dog around the block (I also have to find someone to pick him up) and drive to the train station which isn't that close.

It's then 3 full days of meetings and training which I'll be shattered for. I'll get a bit of time back but it still seems a big ask. There's no option for paid accomodation to stay the night before.

Aibu?

No I'm not under 30. Far from it. I'm also not remotely lazy. I work incredibly hard and always have.
It would take me 5-6 hours to drive this journey and there would be no parking anywhere near so it would be more than 6 hours by the time I found parking.

No it's not in my contract.

I start work at 6.30am twice every set of shifts!
I don't think I'd mind this - it's a one-off and I could relax on the train on the way.

If you can't cope with getting an early train, go up the night before and stay in a premier inn or something. But a train after 6am really isn't horrifically early at all. I have done it more times than I can count. I used to get a 6am flight, which meant getting up at 3.30am!

I have already said I can't afford a hotel the night before and my company won't pay for it. I have accepted I just need to suck up the 3 days of being tired. It's pretty intense training and meetings and then networking etc on top but I'll survive it. I'll suck it up.

Go to bed early the night before so even with an early start you'll not have lost any sleep

Would not work for me. I cannot fall asleep unless I go to bed after 11pm .

This.

I live about 2 hours from my office and we have just mandated 3 days a week in the office so am up at 5. I take doggy quick walk , give her breakie and hmm If hubby is around I grab a life to the station. If not and weather is nice I walk 20 min (with my laptop/handbag). I get home at 8.40 those 3 evenings but it is what it is! We have a dog walker £17 per hour comes in at 11am -12. Hubby gets home to take her out at 6pm - if he is late - dog walker is booked for 5.30pm
i knew I lived 2 hours away when I took the job pre Covid was doing this 5 days a week. Never asked for hotel. Are you a permanent remote worker?

No I work at my local office which is about an hour away.

I'm sorry, so you did @Chantholtmouse. I'm guessing this is a new job? I also see this is going to be a thing that you'll have to do a couple of times a year.

I don't know what your job is but a company that invests this much in training and continuous development of its staff seems like a pretty good one to me.

No, it's not a new job. I've been with them about 5 years. They are pretty decent on the whole but over the last couple of years are expecting more and more. My workload has increased hugely.

Did you take the job, and negotiated the salary, on the basis it would be based at a certain location with no mention of travel requirements?

If so, then YANBU - because if you had known the job would require travel to the other side of the country several times a year, you might have declined the role or demanded more pay to reflect it.

By springing it on you now, you are in a weak position (assuming less than 2 years in the role) and the employer knows it. But other people allowing themselves to be exploited doesn't make it any less exploitative.

Missed your previous post - if you've been there for 5 years then that puts you in a much stronger position to put your foot down against your employer demanding you do something that's not in your contract. (But, check your contract first.)

Yep , I actually would , so tired of the younger generation moaning about work , some of us start work at 5.30am everyday, personally I very rarely have a day off needs must .
glad you don’t work for me tbh

not unreasonable at all for a one off

6:20am is not the middle of the night. I used to regularly leave home (5 days a week) at this time of day/ pre covid

It sounds like it will be an interesting few days. Maybe you will learn something? Maybe it will broaden your mind? maybe you will meet some interesting new people and your career will benefit.

Try thinking of positive’s instead of focusing on the negatives

I'm in my 40s so hardly the younger generation and I've already said I'll suck it up. I've done my time of doing all sorts of shifts and commutes so do not judge me as you don't know me at all. I might not have the energy I once did but I work incredibly hard and always have. You'd be lucky if you employed me.

And I don't have days off either so I don't know where that comment came from. I haven't had a day off in years.

This is just contrary nonsense. 300 miles is Plymouth to the east coast, or London to somewhere a chunk north of Newcastle.

It might not be "far" if your reference points are the great plains of America or the Australian outback but it clearly is far in the UK.

The speed limit is 70mph, there's no way it can take less than 4 hrs 20 even if you somehow had no traffic on your entire rush hour route. Realistically most journeys that long would take 5.5+ hours so it would be quicker to get the train.

Changing the topic slightly @Chantholtmouse , would you consider changing to another job? You are in your 40s and earning £30K so that's about average (or median salary.)

If you can't afford a Premier Inn for one night (they can be as little as £35 booked ahead in some locations) it sounds like you need more income.

Do you have skills you can deploy somewhere else?

The 6.20 to London was my regular train for many years, but my current employer provides accommodation overnight if your journey would start before 7am, which I obviously prefer!

Have been in same situation but for a year of educational training. I was younger, didn't have any extra responsibilities so just did it. Before crack of dawn get up, long winded bus journeys as was cheaper, over 2 hours later get there, full day teaching/preparation, trip to library, over 2 hours to get home then study and write dissertation on evening before Google days. It was gruelling and I couldn't do it now! At the time was just what I had to do and didn't question it, got my qualifications, was able to buy a car and travel to work, huge difference. As I said, depends on circumstances, if young and wanting to get on, if not then hopefully get paid to stay over. X

Sorry - I used to regularly have to catch flights for 9 am meetings at Amsterdam Airport then return the same day. It's just part of having a job really. I don't think it's that unusual for training, sorry. I had to go to the Netherlands for a week for training once and two weeks in London. It was just an expected part of the job.

I used to go early in the morning to various events but one day when the train I was on which should have got in on time for the training was 2 1/2 hours late in , this being the earliest train I could get, I missed so much of the event that I decided that in future in a situation like that I'd go up the night before, so I could guarantee being there on time, and found that the cost of the hotel was offset by the cheaper train ticket. Much less stressful too and was able to participate in the training more effectively.
You ought to get some subsistence allowance as you'll be away from your normal place of work for was it 3 days?
I totally get the issue with needing to change trains to get to the mainline station, those who don't have that extra overhead often dint understand how much harder it makes the journey and it also gives more potential for lateness. Been there, done that

when i lived in manchester i frequently had to be in london for 9-930 meetings and this was a similar journey. even on a normal day i have to leave the house at 7. i think YABU.

So many people here willing to excuse
poor practice and employers taking the proverbial. They don’t own you! Travel time has long been a paid for part of working life. If you want to do that, then fine. Personally I’d have a bit more self respect.