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@retrovintagecollectables3195 wrote:

I’d like you to do my job. I work weekends and midnight until 0800 full time.  Yes, I get paid at a higher rate than the 9-5’ers, and I have been doing it for years. No one in my department wants my hours due to the lack of sleep you as the phone rings, door bells go, building going around etc etc. including, the unsociable hours and it is also very hard on your body. There have been studies that people who work these hours is more likely to get sick.   If it wasn’t for us shift workers, the world would come to a halt.  So when you are in dire need to go to a hospital, you will be thanking the shift workers, Dr’s, nurses, scientists, cleaners, cooks, paramedics, reception staff who attend to your needs and saving your life.  I know for a fact if there were no shift penalties, I wouldn’t be working the hours I do, and I doubt anyone would do the same, unless you’re putting up you hand to work these crazy hours for the same pay as 9-5’ers!    You wouldn’t last 5 minutes.  

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Oh how I wish I could give you 1,000 kudos for this post! People who have never done those hours have absolutely no idea. It's surprising how many people think you sleep all night when you work night shift! They forget that the world doesn't stop because they go to bed, or it's a weekend or public holiday where they're kicking back having a few cold ones. Funny how people b*tch about religious holidays, but are happy to have the time off.

My afternoon shift is from 2.30pm to 11pm. That doesn't mean I actually get to go home at 11pm. I may not get home until 7am the next morning. If my next shift was a 9.30am to 6pm, then I'd have to go back at 5 and work for an hour, but get paid for the whole day. Usually they would tell us not to bother coming back for the hour.

If it happens that I'm going back on another afternoon shift, I have to somehow get some sleep during the day, go back at 5 instead of 2.30 and risk being there until 7am the next day. If I leave at 3am, I'll go back at 1pm the next day if I'm rostered a 9.30 to 6 shift. The next day after that might be a 7.30am to 4 or 6pm. Having such erratic sleep like that really plays up with the body, let me tell you! The risk of serious health issues in my industry is high.

Of a weekend, from 1pm Saturday to 7am Monday, there are only one lot of staff rostered. We could be there for that entire time. It's rare that it happens, but I have been caught once from 1pm Saturday and leaving at 7am Monday morning with absolutely no sleep and barely time to grab a glass of water, let alone something to eat.

That whole time, I could be getting eBay messages from buyers and have no way of replying to their messages until I get home. I am not allowed to carry my phone during work hours and even if I'm on my break, mobile reception is carp. That's a long time until I can reply and potentially miss out on sales. Still, that's the risk I take by working the hours that I do and getting paid penalty rates for my efforts.

Funny how heihachi_73 hasn't been back after that comment.

Retro, I'm not sure which industry you are in, but thank you for doing it!!!