*From:* Roland Perry
*Date:* Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:03:58 +0100
In message , at
06:17:31 on Fri, 22 Jul 2011, remarked:
drivers are paid for a 35 hour week, but work 36 hours
Is that spread over s 5-day week, or four?
--
Roland Perry
It's spread over five days.
As long as it conforms to certain criteria as agreed between management
and unions, such as the maximum amount of hours on a train without a break
etc., the length of a duty can vary between around 4 hours 16 mins to 8
hours. Spare turns are normally 8 hour turns to maximise the work that a
spare driver can do.
These hours doesn't include a 30 minute unpaid meal relief so, for
example, a driver working an eight hour shift, would be booked on for 8½
hours.
This is the same for M-F, Saturday and Sunday duties. These varying hours
are more for management's benefits than for the benefit of the staff as it
means that they can use the drivers more productively and there is less
wasted "off-train" time. Drivers working a night shift on passenger trains
will normally work a seven day week then have four ret days the following
week
As a driver, it's nice to have a short turn, these days many staff often
have to travel a long way to and from work and so, if you're travelling 1
- 1½ hours each day, you might as well do a full shift. That's why some
drivers would prefer to work a longer four day week of an average 9 hour
day. They would still work the same amount of hours a week, but would have
to travel for one day less.
Generally, the total weekly hours can vary above or below 36 hours, but
should average out at 36 hours over the course of a month.
Roger