can they force us to do overtime

dodger1

donnajunkie wrote: »

it is an example of bad treatment but yeah its not as bad as what a lot of bosses will do.
as you will know if you are one of the few that have read my posts properly i agree that they should just do it.

I don't think we have enough information on the company to actually call this even an example of bad treatment. I've worked for good and bad companies and this could be a company asking for help in bad times but also will be willing to help employees in their hour of need. There really are employers that work with their employees rather than against. I've always thought that when both sides work together it's simply a better working environment.

donnajunkie

dodger1 wrote: »

I don't think we have enough information on the company to actually call this even an example of bad treatment. I've worked for good and bad companies and this could be a company asking for help in bad times but also will be willing to help employees in their hour of need. There really are employers that work with their employees rather than against. I've always thought that when both sides work together it's simply a better working environment.

the reason i say it is an example of bad treatment is because they are expecting them to work through at least half of their break. being paid or not is irrelevant to that being bad,(i could have worded it better). secondly they are only paying a normal rate instead of an overtime rate. good companies would not expect people to work in their break and would pay an overtime rate for any overtime.
despite bad times there is a minimum level of rights that i think workers should always be able to expect. the kind of things that should go in bad times are things like bonuses and xmas dos paid for by the company. things that shouldnt go are the right to your break and the right to an overtime rate for working overtime.

SueC_2

dodger1 wrote: »

I don't think we have enough information on the company to actually call this even an example of bad treatment. I've worked for good and bad companies and this could be a company asking for help in bad times but also will be willing to help employees in their hour of need. There really are employers that work with their employees rather than against. I've always thought that when both sides work together it's simply a better working environment.

Well said. If you look at it objectively, without a sack of spuds on your shoulder, you could view it as an 'everyone wins' situation...

The employer doesn't have the working day disrupted and reduced production etc by pulling staff off the workfloor to do training.

The employee gets a few quid extra for doing some training that they were going to have to do anyway.

So, on one occasion, they had 20 minutes less to eat their sandwiches. Is that REALLY such a big deal?

dodger1

donnajunkie wrote: »

the reason i say it is an example of bad treatment is because they are expecting them to work through at least half of their break. being paid or not is irrelevant to that being bad,(i could have worded it better). secondly they are only paying a normal rate instead of an overtime rate. good companies would not expect people to work in their break and would pay an overtime rate for any overtime.
despite bad times there is a minimum level of rights that i think workers should always be able to expect. the kind of things that should go in bad times are things like bonuses and xmas dos paid for by the company. things that shouldnt go are the right to your break and the right to an overtime rate for working overtime.

It may well be bad treatment, I'm just saying we can't judge it as such on the limited information we have on the company involved. If the letter to the empoyees starts "look guys we need your help now but you know we will help you in the future" that's good, if it it starts "look you lot turn up tomorrow in your break or else" well that's pretty obviously bad. We simply need a lot more info to really agree or disagree with OP.

donnajunkie

dodger1 wrote: »

It may well be bad treatment, I'm just saying we can't judge it as such on the limited information we have on the company involved. If the letter to the empoyees starts "look guys we need your help now but you know we will help you in the future" that's good, if it it starts "look you lot turn up tomorrow in your break or else" well that's pretty obviously bad. We simply need a lot more info to really agree or disagree with OP.

good point.

liney

donnajunkie wrote: »

so if you get asked to do something at work and you say sorry i dont know how to do that. do they schedule overtime for showing you how to do it or do they just show you there and then? i agree its mainly new starters that need training. well thats obvious.

What part of your question related to "en masse"?

thornbridge

Did not know this would cause so much attention wow.

I had a phone call from a colleague today and the company are taking workers off the shop floor in the company's own time when they can but have stressed that days of high sickness etc will have to opt for the 20 minute overtime instead. So it's hit and miss really to which the union have accepted.

So they seem to have listened to our dissatisfaction and met us half way.

Although i do not wish to name the company for obvious reasons. It is a very successful company.

donnajunkie

thornbridge wrote: »

Did not know this would cause so much attention wow.

I had a phone call from a colleague today and the company are taking workers off the shop floor in the company's own time when they can but have stressed that days of high sickness etc will have to opt for the 20 minute overtime instead. So it's hit and miss really to which the union have accepted.

So they seem to have listened to our dissatisfaction and met us half way.

Although i do not wish to name the company for obvious reasons. It is a very successful company.

sounds like the situation may not be too bad for you afterall.
a few people have been proven wrong on certain points i think.

Oldernotwiser

thornbridge wrote: »

Did not know this would cause so much attention wow.

I had a phone call from a colleague today and the company are taking workers off the shop floor in the company's own time when they can but have stressed that days of high sickness etc will have to opt for the 20 minute overtime instead. So it's hit and miss really to which the union have accepted.

So they seem to have listened to our dissatisfaction and met us half way.

Although i do not wish to name the company for obvious reasons. It is a very successful company.

This is a good example of compromise and the value of being in a union.