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Flexi workers and overtime

Started by ihavequestions23, 02-03-22, 06:55AM

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ihavequestions23

I've worked as a flexi worker contracted 3 shifts a week for years, and I work at least 5 and 6 days a week. I am doing university and am finding it really tough to catch up when working this much. I'm thinking of reducing my hours here and now but I'm really concerned. The managers have been telling other flexi workers when they've refused overtime that they cannot refuse because of the contract. I kind of understand, but I'm exhausted and burned out, and at the moment the store is a really unpleasant place to work with all kinds of things going down. I'm currently searching for other jobs with less hours and just a better place but for now I really want to start cutting down and not doing so much overtime.

They are so used to me doing 6 and 7 days that when I've told them I'm doing 5 they have been absolutely horrified, so god knows how they will react to doing less. I need to know what the policies are for people in education and flexi work in general. Can they reprimand me for not doing overtime? There are several people in the store who never ever do overtime and are never questioned or pulled up for it, but the last time I asked to do my contract only shifts (over a year ago) they pulled me in for a lets talk and made me re-read and sign the contract again. I find it extremely unfair as there are people on flexi contracts who will just be able to refuse and nothing be done about it. I'm just tired of it. There is so much inequality it's unreal.

Redshoes

You only have to have 9 hours over your contracted hours to be a flexi worker. You can change your availability at any time and they should not be asking you to work so many days. You should not have more than five days on your flexi sheet and you can't be flexed up on a Sunday. Sunday working is voluntary. If it's a contracted day you need only do your contracted hours. Other than that it's up to you. The company dictates you have two days off a wk. If you chose to pick up overtime above your flexi hours that is up to you but even so you should not work 7 days. You also need to have 11 hours between shifts. Again, you can opt out of this but it should not be forced on you.
There is an app coming soon. The MyShift is going as it is not working. The new app will show flexi workers the overtime first, day 1 to flexi workers and day 2 to everyone else. If you want a shift you just click on it.

All that being said, it is not easy for you to change things. Your store is not doing the flexi sheets as they should but it will have passed from person to person and over time it has drifted away from what it should be, or somebody has just decided to ignore the rules. I advise you to get the union involved. Just bring into the conversation "work life balance" and that your studies are suffering as you can't fit so many work hours into your life on top of your commitments outside of work.

Batmanjo

#2
[mod]Please do not quote immediately prior post(s).[/mod]

Flexi workers will be shown the overtime FIRST........interesting that they are treating all colleagues the same, and for this reason and many other reasons they are still trying to push out the older staff on permanent contracts to save on pensions, holidays, shares, sickness and the rest that cost the company money, but in the end they just loose the experience of the people who have made the company flourish over time a lot with 20 plus years experience they just can't buy. 

BUY TESLA STOCK

Flexi workers always get first shout at any overtime.

lackofinterest



londoner83

By  the nature of their contract flexi workers who often are only guaranteed minimal hours should always get first shout on any available overtime. The option is normally there (if you speak to your manager) to request a change from a fixed hours contract to a flexible one though its rarely taken up.

Preacherpauly

When recruiting are staff not being told honestly what a flexi contract actually is?

I was training a new starter, who on the same night they started was told they had to do OT 3 days mid week because  they were on flexi and then when the manager left turned to me and said "I thought OT was voluntary".

It's a joke how many staff I have seen come and go within a few weeks because of these contracts.




Hibobhi

No their not told the truth, all or at least most of the flexi staff in my dotcom are not allowed to leave 🤣 if pick isn't finished and some are working full time hours, one woman only wanted 16 hours when kids are at school, she does full time hours

Jackwarda

#9
How does it work when a employee can only work 13 or 14 hrs due to a carer role and legal limit on income!  they can be asked if they want to work more hrs and politely say no, however if you try to enforce or insist they work more knowing they can't, then that is wrong.

lackofinterest


ProdavnicaTajni

Quote from: Preacherpauly on 25-05-22, 02:13PMI was training a new starter, who on the same night they started was told they had to do OT 3 days mid week because  they were on flexi and then when the manager left turned to me and said "I thought OT was voluntary".

It's a joke how many staff I have seen come and go within a few weeks because of these contracts.
This happens in our store too, enforced overtime that they don't want and then they wonder why people are leaving. Ridiculous.

Tesla

Flexi means you can be bent over and gave a good shafting. What they don't tell you is you can go the other way and ask to be moved from flexi to fixed.

Sherwoodforest

Too much moaning about flexi,i wouldnt buy a flexible hose for my car and expect it to be rigid,dont apply for flexi job if  your not flexible,simple, want a part time fixed hour job,then apply for that,
Tesco Finest Karma,best served bent over💩

oldfashionedplayer

Tesco dont offer "non flexi" roles, you should know this.. think most companies probably will head the same route if they aren't already, if your an office worker or whatever your probably going to be asked to be "flexible" anyhow... it's not like it's ONLY a tesco issue.. the whole thing with FLEXIBLE is that its a GIVE and a TAKE situation, it's not "here i'll bend over for you", that's what the companies terms nad conditions have always been and I've showcased that in multiple posts before on here...

it is a TWO way process, you can be on a flexible contract and say your only available for 1 day next week, and then 4 the week after and 3 the week after that if you really want to, you are being reasonable if you've already got plans further ahead, as shifts by the old were supposed to be given on a 4 weekly rota in a MEETING with you to agree, and a 7 day rota on occasions but not ALL the time, this is something that has ALWAYS been abused by management for the "we need you in in 2 days, your a flexi, we need you in tomorrow your a flexi" it doesn't work that way...

the new system books on a 3 weekly in your availability hours, BUT like with your current, flexible workers SHOULD update their availability forms EACH month for what they want to work, and then pick up any extra if things change... That is being reasonable, that is working with the company, that is giving YOU the time off of work / time to do other stuff... So if you are on a FLEXI contract, worth asking about being made perm, but if they won't then stick to doing the availability forms..

ProdavnicaTajni

The other poster has it right, Tesco don't offer any actual part time jobs, they just advertise flexi contracts as if they are part time when they actually aren't, then act shocked when people don't want that

BritishRacingGreen

#16
My job was advertised as part-time flexi, but not as 'temporary' This only became apparent at the interview.
As for the 'part-time flexi' bit ... I am working nothing like the total hours discussed, on the days discussed, with my agreed times of being available as discussed.
@Redshoes posts have come as a complete surprise to me regarding 2 days off per week, 11 hrs between shifts and time extensions of shifts on core days.
I am only hoping that the app works as we are told it will ...

Redshoes

Wages system should flag up colleagues working too many days and not enough time between shifts. If colleagues opt to have less than 11 hours between shifts that fine but minimum should still be nine. The 11 hours needed can depend on time of day. I do have colleagues who opt to take shifts with nine hours between but I don't like it. It's not good for them no can often end with people going sick and we end up in a bad spiral.
I used to have a colleague who did not like any restrictions. He insisted in quick turnaround shifts and six days working. I tried to make him work a little less as he was always on 40+ hours a week. If not sick he was late so a lot of meetings and said I was a bully and picking on him. He left the company and went somewhere else and got sacked for lateness and sick levels after two months. He went to new company as they offered 55 hours a week. I advised against them going but when he applied back I did not take him back. I took on much better colleagues with better attendance, they lacked the skills as needed to start from fresh but given a bit of time we are fine.
I like a bit of work life balance myself. The shifts managers do in small stores are hard with midnight finishes and 5am starts. We do often get less than 11 hours between shifts and we get lates and earlies in same week. We do mostly get one regular day off a week but the two of us with no small children and fewer commitments outside of work tend to get the worst shifts. My mum used to say that after 25 years with the company I should get office hours. I explained it does not work like this. With now over 30 years I am still a shift worker.

madness

I always hated the whole "I have kids you don't understand" argument. You chose to have kids why should I have the worst shift patterns just to give you an easier life.

Preacherpauly

Quote from: ProdavnicaTajni on 27-05-22, 08:54PM
Quote from: Preacherpauly on 25-05-22, 02:13PMI was training a new starter, who on the same night they started was told they had to do OT 3 days mid week because  they were on flexi and then when the manager left turned to me and said "I thought OT was voluntary".

It's a joke how many staff I have seen come and go within a few weeks because of these contracts.
This happens in our store too, enforced overtime that they don't want and then they wonder why people are leaving. Ridiculous.

A lot of staff that come are at uni so don't want 5 night shifts when they have to go to uni.. I've also seen people leave because they don't want to fill the hard isles either but thats a whole other issue.

Redshoes

Quote from: madness on 31-05-22, 08:46PM
I always hated the whole "I have kids you don't understand" argument. You chose to have kids why should I have the worst shift patterns just to give you an easier life.

When I was younger and with children I worked evenings and weekends. I worked when my husband was home or my when my retired mum could help so I did unsocial hours. Most mums and a few dads now want school hours but I have no idea how they manage this during the school holidays. We can try and help people work the hours they need to fit whatever lifestyle they have. I once had a conversation with my store manager about a young single man on options, signed off but waiting on appointment, who did not want to work late Saturdays or Sundays. I said "I get that part but what I don't understand is why his social life is more important than mine. I have my grandchildren stay over Saturday into Sunday when I can so why is this of less value." Weekend work was more evenly distributed after that.
At the end of the day the time out of work should not have to be justified. We need that lifestyle balance. What matters to me outside of work will be of no importance to others but it is to me. Sometimes I get a long, long story about why someone can't work. I only need a yes or no to a shift request so I can ask someone else. Most shifts like this are for filling in for people off sick. I have changed my own shift at times to help cover and the colleagues know this so they often come up with a plan before I even get into work and have been made aware of an issue.

lucgeo

I seem to be picking up on your comments today, but perhaps if you firstly just said that it's not going against their flexibility contract if they refused a shift request, then they'll probably just say a straight yay or nay!!
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

M4YON

Quote from: Preacherpauly on 25-05-22, 02:13PM
When recruiting are staff not being told honestly what a flexi contract actually is?

I was training a new starter, who on the same night they started was told they had to do OT 3 days mid week because  they were on flexi and then when the manager left turned to me and said "I thought OT was voluntary".

It's a joke how many staff I have seen come and go within a few weeks because of these contracts.

I can answer this, no they aren't. They are told to fill the availability sheet in and that the nore days they can do the better but also not to worry because anything outside of their core hours are there just in case the store needs them to do a shift here or there, now and again.

What actually happens is they fill the sheet in for most days thinking they can do the odd shift but what Tesco then do is force the overtime onto the flexi worker and threaten they can be dismissed for not fulfilling their availability.

It's sneaky, it's s wrong and more importantly it's why staff have such a high turnover particularly at my store anyway.

lucgeo

They also advertise shifts for recruiting, then the applicants, are asked at the induction to fill in an availability form, only then the ones who put the most, get the positions on offer, the others, who've only applied as the shifts advertised suit their lifestyles, don't :-X :-X

Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

mab47

It also doesn't help that you're not given much notice of your shifts. When was there you got a week (if that) notice of your hours? Why can't they plan say, a month ahead so staff can actually organise their life?

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