I'm not sure that summer makes that much difference. Whilst there are less
workers, there are more tourists about and there are also more children
(on school holidays) travelling around, although perhaps not as many to
make up for the drop in workers.


A brief leave explanation, as the standard always gets it wrong!
Drivers have eight weeks off a year allocated to them. When there are
strikes etc. in the offing, LU like to quote this as "8 weeks holidays" to
try to make it look good. In fact, this is made up of normal holidays,
days off in lieu of working bank holidays, Banked Rest Days (drivers are
paid for a 35 hour week, but work 36 hours, the additional hour per week
works out at 6 BRDs a year), and any odd days they might be owed for any
reason. The actual amount of time due may vary slightly either way and is
adjusted locally.

Because of the large amount of drivers at a depot, this eight weeks is
spread over four two week periods (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter), and
is spread out over a rota basis over 48 weeks with drivers rostered to
cover the periods of leave as part of their rostered duties. The odd four
weeks left of the year is used to cover any drivers outstanding odd days,
leave previously owed etc.

I don't know about the station side, but from what I've understood in the
past, there is more flexibility in when station staff take their leave
because there is not enough of them in a group to take up a whole year
between them. Station staff get the same leave entitlement as drivers, but
may work more unpaid hours and thus get more BRDs.

I'm not sure if station staff leave is allocated to specific rostered
leave periods when staff must take their leave, or if staff generally just
apply in advance for time off, like managers do. Obviously when leave is
taken would be restricted to when cover is available, but I assume that,
like most people, more staff would like to take some of their leave in the
summer when the schools are on holiday and the weather is (possibly!)
better than the winter.

So, the answer is, maybe!

A bit of a lengthy answer, but staff leave etc. is something that is often
misquoted in the press etc.

Roger

*From:* Basil Jet
*Date:* Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:21:47 +0100

Do a lot of underground operations staff go on holiday during the
summer, with station manning requirements reduced to allow this, or
are they required to spread their holidays out evenly through the
year?