So I have a zero hours contract during which I work in 4 hour shifts. Takes roughly 45 mins to get there but allow an hour for any transport issues. Normally if I have a split shift between the day and evening shift I come home collect my DD from school, give her tea and am able to say good night to her. and DH puts her to bed.
I have worked 3 sets of double shifts this week starting at 10.30am and finishing roughly 10.30pm but because of the Tube strikes have been leaving 2 and half hours earlier to try and get in on time, staying at work for 4 hours to ensure I'm on time to start at 6.30 all of which have meant rearranging school drop and pick up and paying for child care the in between bits. This has also meant that on leaving at 10.30 pm I've had to catch a night bus adding an extra hour and then having to wait for another 20 mins for a bus as these are infrequent after 12 at night, so basically making what's normally a 1 hour journey home into another 2 and half hours slog home.
Before the strike started we received an e-mail from our manager saying that if we needed assistance getting home there would be taxis provided.
So off I go to see about arranging taxi to get home safely during the gap between shifts on Monday and was told that there were 'criteria' and the manager making the decisions around the criteria was in a meeting.
All of my co-workers were cancelled for that evenings shift because they were not needed so I was effectively on my own.
When I stared at 6.30 I was quizzed about where I live what routes there were available and told that they can't just issue taxis because the system had been abused in the past etc and the long and short of the situation was computer says no as there were buses still running and 10.30 was not late enough.
I tried to put across that I had a child at home that I need to take of the next day and her life was being disrupted as well so I could get in on time along with the fact I didn't feel safe having to wait around for a bus on the final leg of my journey but was told that that 'was the strikes fault and not there's' but he'd would let me go home half an hour that night (not sure if I was meant to thank him for that - but i didn't). At that point I realised that there was no point in continuing the conversation and was quite frankly upset.
Since then I've done 2 more double shifts getting back at 12.30am and am absolutely shattered as well as feeling upset and disappointed with my employers lack of concern for my personal safety and well being.
This is a large organisation that likes to put across how well it treats it's staff.
I really want to cancel tonight's shift as I don't feel like I owe my employers anything at this point as on a zero hours contract I can do that and the thought of another strike enforced bus journey fills me with dread BUT I don't get paid and I love my job (management aside).
I'm not a work shy person so would feel dreadful about my co-workers having to pick up the slack and also fear that I wouldn't be considered for work in the future because management seem to be that petty.
Don't really know what to do.
YABU - don't cancel
YANBU - cancel