Posted by mcewanboy on November 22, 2007 at 04:25:33:Hi,
I am really looking for some help with a shift pattern my company are trying to impose on us as a cost cutting exercise.
I work in a 3 shift, 5 person continuous shift pattern within a large engineering company. The job is a 24/7 and is worked on a dayshift, backshift and nightshift basis , at 8.5 hours per shift (0.5 hour handover).
The company have recently reviewed the job and are looking to save costs by reducing this pattern to a dayshift and backshift, and the nightshift will be covered by another 4 person team shift who presently work 12 hours shifts ( 2 shifts on, 2 off). The 4 person shift team will not be allowed to cover dayshift/backshift as their own job is to busy at these times. The net effect of this is 2 of the 5 person pattern being surplus and may well be made redundant.
The company are proposing a 5 day on 2 day off pattern for the remaining 3 staff over a 15 week pattern, which means the 3 staff will be expected to work 12 full or part weekends (not including additional shifts for staff on leave) as against the present 2 full weekends off in 5 ( 6 in 15).
The proposed pattern above does not seem reasonable and will not allow any flexibility and minimise family time. We will also break the European Working Time directive when some one is on leave, as the remaining 2 staff will exceed the 1 day off in 7 rule (minimum of 20 shifts to be covered by remaining 2 staff).
I feel this pattern can only be managed by a conventenal 4 staff pattern (12 hours) as there is no flexibility for annual leave or sickness.
I have looked at ACAS website and it mostly refers to 4 and 5 crew shift patterns. I am looking to rule out us going to a 3 person shift pattern. We are not unhappy to go to a 4 person pattern as one of my colleague wants to leave.Is there any way we can challenge the proposed shift pattern by the company under employment law? Are there a list of criteria (apart from the European Working Time) of recognised shift patterns that have to have adhered to in law?
Any advise on alternative shift patterns would be much appreciated, as we are struggling to defend ourselves.