Going on strike whilst on probation

bendix

By the way, custardy. I see you are an ex-postie.

I think that explains the origins of your position, perfectly.

If you are an ex-postie moving from the Royal Mail to a catering career, no wonder you're surprised. God help you.

custardy

bendix wrote: »

I'm saying - if you bothered to read properly - that even if the law firm TOLD it's people to go home early, they wouldn't. They know what it takes to prosper in their CHOSEN profession.

All the law firms I have worked in bend over backwards to comply with ALL legislation. In fact, my firm goes way beyond what is required, by offering all sorts of work-life balance training, structures, flexible working etc, but you can't FORCE employees to go home if they have decided long hours are the norm and they want to be there doing the work.

It's called freedom of choice.

NOONE goes into a profession like law - and, I suspect, catering - expecting to work 9-5 hours, irrespective of employment legislation. If they do, they are in the wrong profession.

how does that relate to employment law? many in catering ended up there through many reasons other than a career choice
so theres no help for anyone in a trade/job that it is deemed has long unpaid hours?

custardy

bendix wrote: »

By the way, custardy. I see you are an ex-postie.

I think that explains the origins of your position, perfectly.

If you are an ex-postie moving from the Royal Mail to a catering career, no wonder you're surprised. God help you.

ah personal digs,good stuff
i was a chef then had to leave through developing food allergies(though i worked for years carrying adrenaline epipens)
i worked in many establishments right up to michelin, so i did the hours
however if it its easier for you to attack me that way then knock yourself out

Fridge3

custardy wrote: »

having worked as a chef for over 15 years i can tell you what the enviroment is like
i have seen staff physically brought from home when calling in sick
or spending weeks at the sharp end after having a day off
so you think being that ill his emplyers didnt notice he perhaps didnt look his best?

Do employers in this type of business typically recognise unions?

Fridge3

custardy wrote: »

well who's feet is it at?27 days working 14 hours a day is not an employer looking after its employees well being
its still a regular occurrence for chefs to work 15+ hours a day while paid for 8
staff often stop being paid at the closing time but if customers come in at that time the staff are expected to work on
i could go on,as a young chef i remember talk of how things would change in the industry
well you are talking 20 years later and yet nothing has changed
one of the first thing you will do in a catering job is sign the working time directive opt out

There are still guidelines around the opt out which still doesn't allow a 98 hour working week.

Fridge3

bendix wrote: »

, but you can't FORCE employees to go home if they have decided long hours are the norm and they want to be there doing the work.

Actually you can. Employees and employers have a duty of care to themselves and others. A lawyer might fall alseep over his case study with no harm done. The same can't be said of many professions that, for example involve driving, working with machinery etc. What if, for example a bus driver chose to work 18 hours, fell asleep at the wheel and resulted in fatalities? When HSE and VOSA and emergency services had done crawling all over the scene they would do the same to the employer with attendance records, rest periods etc. If they found one shift of 18hrs, the company would be in the dock, nevermind 7 x 18.

custardy

Fridge3 wrote: »

Do employers in this type of business typically recognise unions?

not at all,the only place i ever worked where there was a union(cant recall which one)

custardy

Fridge3 wrote: »

There are still guidelines around the opt out which still doesn't allow a 98 hour working week.

yup,yet people are still doing it
on this thread the argument is employment law is enough to protect people without unions
however it seems some are just expected to work these hours because its the way it is
im not saying unions are the answer or not,but to say employment law is the catch all net is naive

Fridge3

custardy wrote: »

not at all,the only place i ever worked where there was a union(cant recall which one)

custardy wrote: »

yup,yet people are still doing it
on this thread the argument is employment law is enough to protect people without unions
however it seems some are just expected to work these hours because its the way it is
im not saying unions are the answer or not,but to say employment law is the catch all net is naive

The problem here is that unions insist on bleeding the pot dry and attempting to hold large companies or public bodies to ransom when the employees have very good T&C's already. BA are another example: Q - why don't the cabin crew go and work for a much "better" company such as Easyjet if they have such a raw deal. A - Because the package is already twice as good.

This thread is about striking whilst on probation and the impact this will have on an employee who has already got much better T&C's than most and certainly way better than the jobs you have described.

The people still doing it are the employees of smaller or non unionised companies where arguably there may be some benefit but of course the owners look at it from a commercial perspective and have to make a profit or there is no business. Result - they dont recognise unions for the reasons stated above. But remember, the employee can stand up for his own rights which is arguably no worse than the OP's predicament of being pressured into action he may not want to take.

custardy

yup i see the issues and arguments,however people have argued there is no reason to have unions due to employment law
would those with these better terms and conditions have had them without the unions?
using catering as an example,if you were to 'stand up' and argue about working long hours then you wouldnt work there much longer
any future employment would be jeapordised as well,catering is an industry heavy in nepotism
nearly every job i got was via a network of friends and ex colleagues
however it doesnt make it right that staff are working massive hours in day to day running