Terrible new shift pattern

[Jaffapedigree]

Well, work gave gone and done it.
I have been given a new shift pattern that covers 44 weeks. Out of those, 14 weeks contain at least one 9pm finish, immediately followed by a 6.15am start the next day. Three of those 14 weeks contain two 9pm finishes followed by 6.15am starts.

The union voted to reject this pattern, but it's being imposed on us anyway. It contravenes the WTR, which we are not exempted from, as there won't be eleven hours between shifts. I only live a twenty minute drive from work, but some of my colleagues have an hour or more commute. This will be awful, I know that I don't function well on less than eight hours sleep, plus I'm concerned about driving tired. I don't want myself or my colleagues to have car accident.

We do have half days, but the 6.15am starts finish at 5pm. We do have two breaks - half an hour's breakfast break, and an hour's lunch, unpaid of course, but for me, that won't make up for not having a decent night's sleep. Plus if I'm held back at work later than my finish time - it's a prison, emergency situations happen - then I'd still be expected to come in at my rota'd start time the following day.

Managers won't listen, union are being useless. I feel utterly stuck, like no one cares, and I've no idea how to handle this.

BTW, I'm not a prison officer, I'm in different role but still considered operational staff. It's not a private prison either.

That’s just stupid planning, it’s bound to lead to more absences long term. If they really won’t listen then just play the system, go to your Drs and then occupational health about tiredness/stress a couple if weeks into your new shift pattern. You’ll soon find it’s adjusted

I'm not sure that will work, sadly, as I've already had a month off with work related stress. I have already been moved to a different role for my health, which was fine until all this shift changing palaver. I think that if I have any more time off, I'll be managed out somehow.

Why are they allowed to break employment law? Next step is strike action so get your union to ballot members and take Collective action.
or start applying for jobs elsewhere as you will have lots of useful skills

The police have always had quick changeovers as long as you get 8 hours at home. It beats the alternative which is always finishing shift pattern from a night so first rest day is asleep

Our 11 hour rest time only really applies to shifts that end at midnight or over? Not sure if that’s a standard practise elsewhere in NHS. So we can finish at 10 and be back by 8am, we do only do 7.5 hour shifts though I can imagine it’s completely gruelling if you work 12hr shifts

Oh that is shit. Do you have kids? A shift pattern like that for people with dc is going to be a nightmare.

The fact you have already had too much time off with stress sounds like you are t up to the job.

Raise it with the Health and Safety Executive for the WTR aspect. Can do this through their website and find the “apply, notify or report” link and go from there. Worth a try. Some employers ask you agree to sign out of the WTR requirements as part of your contract though so check this isn’t the case for you.

This is unbelievably rude and unnecessary 😡

I'm also here to say how unpleasant your comment is @Skybluepinky

In my line of work, if rostered shifts don’t give us the 11hrs, we turn up late ie, 11hrs from the end of the last shift. They can’t do anything about it and makes them think twice about doing it again.

Unfortunately WTR have exceptions and organisations are allowed to have shift patterns with less than 11 hours between where continuous service applies. Not sure if it does in your circumstances but this may be how they get away with it. Sorry you're in this situation

The police like other emergency services are exempt from the Time working directive. In the fire service we had 9 hours between nightshifts.

@Jaffapedigree can I check I understsnd correctly please?

14 out 44 weeks have that pattern (approx 1 in 3 weeks).
3 of these 14 weeks have 2 of that pattern (approx once a month).
11 of these 14 weeks you have 1 of that pattern.

If so, this really isn't very often.

You haven't mentioned the trade off for this pattern either. How many non-working days per week? Where do these, and your half days, fit in the pattern? How many of each?

The union wouldn't let this fly if it wasn't legal or reasonable. Trust me, I'm a manager regularly in touch with unions.

Have you tried it? Do you get 8hrs sleep every night, even when you go out socially or stay up watching box sets or whatever your activities outside of work are? How do you manage in those circumstances?

I think a lot here hinges on the rest of the working pattern. May be more useful to post it fully, rather than just the bit you don't like.

I suppose I should add that my role involves driving so may be different.

Would you want to work somewhere else/do something different? Ultimately if this the shift pattern that they've consulted on properly (sounds like they have as they've liaised with the union) and are now enforcing, then that's what they're doing. You could try to put in a flexible working request,or if you've had time off you could look to go down the route of saying your health issues qualify as a disability and a certain amount of rest time is a reasonable adjustment (that might be a lengthy process). Whilst 11 hrs off between shifts is the law, a lot of areas are exempt including police and armed services or emergency services, which makes me think prisons would likely fall into that category - maybe call ACAS, they offer free advice and can discuss whether your role would/should be exempt or not.