Zero hours contract. We submit availability at beginning of month. They allocate shifts based on availability. You are given shift time the day before. You are expected to accept it. All fine.
They are under no obligation to offer shifts. I get that. But if they don't offer you a shift they now expect you to be on standby. Unpaid. And wait around in case they summon you in. You are expected to wait by the phone and answer.
I believe that if I'm on standby, I should be paid. Am I correct? I can't get hold of my union.
There is another issue too.
We get paid from the time we leave the yard in our vehicle. Not for any of the getting ready. We now have to check oil water etc daily as a legal requirement. Previously that was a different departments job. It's now ours. But it's unpaid. So that's 15 minutes before every shift unpaid.
New manager says if we don't leave on time, it's disciplinary and 15 mins docked.
Can they do this?
Until this new manager came along things were great!