We work a basic 47.5 hours a week but as we don't finish until the work is done it usually ends up having to do anything from 1/2 - 2 hours overtime most days.
We've had a memo today saying saturdays are going to be turned from voluntary to a rota and if we can't work our turn WE have to find someone else that can (isn't this a managers job?)
can a company expect/ demand this as i thought overtime wasn't manadtory(sp)?

 

It may depend on what your contract says, but I'd bet, if they say they need you to do overtime, you will have to do it.

I know where I work, they can make us work overtime with no more than 24 hours notice, and that's sort of backed up in our contract. They require us to be flexible at all times and either work extra, or different hours at short notice.

You work alot of hours to start with, and I'm not sure if you have any leeway here, as I thought you were now only allowed to work so many hours per week, but I'm not sure about that.

I'd check your contract out, but don't hold much hope of you getting out of it.

 

UK has an opt out, IIRC, funny as all the bollocks human rights are enforced !

DunxC

P.S. I do 47 hours a week too ! But thankfully rarely manage that many too often !

 

In a previous job we had to sign an opt out form to say we'd work more than the 48 hours maximum set by the EU - don't recall signing a form at this job?
Don't want to stir things up at work but i think it's a p155 take for them to demand we work so many hours during the week and then give up a saturday as well - i try to plan things for saturdays as this is the only chance i get with garages, etc being closed sat afternoons/ sundays

Why should our weekends revolve around work when it should be our time to "chill out and relax"?

 

We work to live, not live to work

No doubt they have some sneaky wording in your contract to do with extra hours etc.

I think they are taking the p!ss a bit.

 

I can't offer you any advice, but it was a similar situation in my old employment contract. It was classed as a flexi-contract, so if work was slight, with 24 hours notice they could send us home halfway during a shift or a full shift if necessary. But if work was heavy, with 24 hours notice they could demand 4 hour overtime blocks. They then tried to make this only 4 hours notice. Usual co*k suckers fell for this, but others refused to do it because of a lack of notice and the physical nature of the job. Plus it was working night shifts where rules are slightly different for unsociable hours worked.

Basically, every case in which the employee has taken the employer to court for this, the employee has won, and got their job back, comfortably.

It's stupid rule changes like this, when doing a physically demanding job, that cause things like my R.S.I. for christs sake. No time to recoever, and the constant pressure to meet targets over Health and Safety application.

Good luck anyways, maybe speak to your Union (if not join one!) or Acas.

 

Citizen's Advice Bureau (with a copy of your contract).