Excessive hours working

[starlight32]

We have a broad base of people on here who work in varied occupations as well as owning their own businesses.

 

Do you think we Brits work too many hours?

 

The reason I mention this is because I have two German engineers over here at the moment commisioning some equipment.

 

I need them to work on tonite to finish a job and they politely told me they could not as they had already worked 8 hours. For them to work on they would have to ring their office in Germany to seek permission to do so.

 

I think someone has it right, my shift is 13 hour nights plus handover- I'm beginning to think it is us who have got it wrong.

 

Agreed?

[bob300w]

We sure do, I have spent most of my working life abroad, 8 hours seems to be the norm in Europe. I have always worked 10-12 hours per day, 7 days per week. Had enough about this time last year and chucked it in, it's hell shooting every day!

[pin]

Letter of the law they are bang on :-

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Time_Directive

 

I have real difficulty with this as an employer, since I can't insist, or be seen to encourage working more hours than this in a week.

 

 

As we all know, all the real work happens outside of these hours

[henry d]

.....you can opt out of the WTD though !!

[lurcherboy]

Yes Starlight, I regularly work a 16 hour day but only for the payout and not because someone else wants me to.

 

But that's self employment for you.

 

 

 

LB

[col s10]

Yes Starlight, I regularly work a 16 hour day but only for the payout and not because someone else wants me to.

 

But that's self employment for you.

 

 

 

LB

16 hours.bet you are a pen pusher.bet you could not do what i do for that time.

[BSA Shaun]

LB is a mechanic, more likely to be pushing a cambelt tensioner

 

48 hours in 4 days for me

[pin]

16 hours.bet you are a pen pusher.bet you could not do what i do for that time.

 

Oops

 

LB's a mechanic, a rather good one at that. He specialises in the "easy" field of cambelt replacement.

 

Pen pusher

 

Over to you LB

[lurcherboy]

Yes Starlight, I regularly work a 16 hour day but only for the payout and not because someone else wants me to.

 

But that's self employment for you.

 

 

 

LB

16 hours.bet you are a pen pusher.bet you could not do what i do for that time.

 

 

If your going to have a pop try hitting a bit harder

 

 

 

LB

[pin]

16 hours.bet you are a pen pusher.bet you could not do what i do for that time.

 

Wirral, that's mersyside?

 

How many cars can you pinch in that time?

[BSA Shaun]

Loads with the multitool screwdriver

[rec-baller]

i work a 58 hr-5 1/2 day week - BUT only because i want to !!!!

i am married + 2 daughters

dont claim off the state :blink:

run 2 cars - coz i need too , just bought er indoors a Golf GTI

and go abroad once a year :look:

my kids and wife need for nothing and i own my own house

The only downside is lack of shooting time, i only get out on sunday mornings and one night a week

but i wouldnt have it any other way !!!!!

shaun

[BSA Shaun]

Do you claim working tax credit?

[pin]

i work a 58 hr-5 1/2 day week - BUT only because i want to !!!!

i am married + 2 daughters

dont claim off the state :blink:

run 2 cars - coz i need too , just bought er indoors a Golf GTI

and go abroad once a year :look:

my kids and wife need for nothing and i own my own house

The only downside is lack of shooting time, i only get out on sunday mornings and one night a week

but i wouldnt have it any other way !!!!!

shaun

 

Good on you, you provide and you enjoy - this country could do with more of you!

[bunnybasher100]

railway workers that hold a pts card can only work 12 hour shifts including traveling or 8 on 8 off and then it get complicated and lorry drives can only work for 9 hours a day. and for me its 7.5 door to door.

[BSA Shaun]

The reason I ask is because I am also married with 2 young children and we claim it, at least its WORKING tax credit

 

Then again we get pittance, but its better than nothing.

[J@mes]

booked on shift for 8 hours, can work up to 12 but then have to seek permission from my line manager who will "assess" weather I am in a fit mental/ physical state to carry on working. If not, the job stops and thats the end of it.

[rec-baller]

no mate, wife works part time and i had a major fiasco a few years ago when they did,nt take my wages into account and "overpaid" me by £3000 !!!!

it took me 2 years to repay it back to them !!!

shaun

[krazykayaker]

Exessive working hours

 

TELL ME ABOUT IT !

[chunk]

Personally i work a straight 39 hour week of shifts and have stacks of spare time to myself. In fact i`ve just done a week of nights and its always followed by a week off as i`ve made my hours on nights. Boy didnt i get through some ammo.

At one point i was the only one qualified to do a certain job as the firm were too tight to train anyone else. It was suggested i might want to take work home. I suggested they poke it.

It a dull job paid resonably and within five minutes of leaving work in the summer i`ve got a beer in my hand and the barbie going.

 

Cant see the point in earning stacks, commuting hours each way and not being able to enjoy time off. A bad day at home is better than a good day at work imo.

[pin]

I am paid well for what I do, and I say this only for the purpose of "having it said".

 

I can work upwards of 80+ hours a week, normallyI work less than 50, but sometimes it's 60-65 hours.

 

Take your working directive and shove it up your *** There isn't a successful city trader, IT person or otherwise who works less than 50 hours a week.

 

How it is.

Edited April 4, 2008 by pin

[col s10]

16 hours.bet you are a pen pusher.bet you could not do what i do for that time.

 

Wirral, that's mersyside?

 

How many cars can you pinch in that time?

yeah nice one.look up average wage then put in wirral .i dont need to mate

[vole]

I do 37.5 hrs per week which aint bad but frequently more and get pestered to work on days off.Also to be available to help or advise 24/7. The rub is often getting home at ten to be out at 7am and the night shifts. Work most weekends and public holidays. Christmas is usually something the family does without me.Self employed must be bad.

Edited April 4, 2008 by vole21

[BSA Shaun]

Wirral is near Cheshire and Liverpool so its average wage will be boosted by the footballers

Edited April 4, 2008 by BSA Shaun

[Markio]

We have a broad base of people on here who work in varied occupations as well as owning their own businesses.

 

Do you think we Brits work too many hours?

 

The reason I mention this is because I have two German engineers over here at the moment commisioning some equipment.

 

I need them to work on tonite to finish a job and they politely told me they could not as they had already worked 8 hours. For them to work on they would have to ring their office in Germany to seek permission to do so.

 

I think someone has it right, my shift is 13 hour nights plus handover- I'm beginning to think it is us who have got it wrong.

 

Agreed?

 

 

I dunno, i wonder if these guys are asking for permission because the have too not because they don't want to do the extra hours. Has far as my experience goes our German cousins will put in the same, if not more hours then us. But then i do what i have too. Just because a single or small group of German, French or whatever guy does less then you, doesn't reflect on the whole country.

 

I do my 40 hours per week +plus some if i'm out of office and/or away from home. I heard this week my German counterpart cencelled his holiday flight due to work, i know for a fact i wouldn't have. Would you? Not me!!!