Hours you work?

[Two Gun Bob]

Not enough hours in the week for me personally, take this week for instance, meant to be rendering a bungalow, if either it rains or the sun comes out I'm fucked, no work, no pay, so I have to work as much as possible to allow for weeks like this week where il probably end up doing nothing, some weeks I can do 70+ easily but that's the sacrifice I have to make

Sadly that is the building game.
When I came out of the forces I was employed as a plasterers labourer and grafted for my money when the grant work was rife.
No fancy mechanical devices back in the eighties.
We used a hand held posser and the sweat of my brow.
Cement mixer to carry up to all the levels.
We also mixed in the bath.

Everything had to be kept so immaculatly clean..
What a physically demanding job a plasterer and plasterers labourer was !
Hardest graft job in the building game ..

 

[leithblue]

I used I work in consultancy for the Big 4 accountancy firms so was typically 90+, Monday - Friday would be 12-15 hours standard then travelling on top with weekends catching up on emails at home.

Now I'm in the civil service it's 60-75 for a lot less money but I do see the kids a lot more and have a semblance of a weekend.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Fly about 85 hours per month. That’s counted from brake release at the gate to brakes set at destination. Only get paid for the time the aircraft is actually moving, as we are hourly workers and the “clock” is all the aircraft doors closed and brakes released for pushback to brakes set at arrival gate. However, I’m on the road for 4-6 Days per week for an average of 15-17 day’s per month. Total on duty time is about 300 hours per month, but that includes overnights (usually from 10-18hrs on my aircraft) while on the road.

Have to bid for schedules based on seniority in seat and on equipment, and bid annual vacation same way. Have no holidays per se, everything is bid for because every single day of the year is a Flight day. So, I have to try to bid Christmas Day off, etc... and only get it if senior enough in seat and equipment. Missed many a family event and kids event over the last 22 years I’ve been doing it. We have a “Life Event”clause in the contract for weddings, funerals and graduations (immediate family only...no days for uncles and such). At any time, about 40% of the pilots are at work, 40% are off, and 20% are on call for delays, illness, etc...

Commute is 9.7 miles, 20-30mins. Have to be at work 1hr before first flight. Most of my flights leave at 0600, which means up at 0330, leave for employee parking lot about 0415, employee bus takes about 15 mins, at work at 0500.

We have a saying at work: If you can see a pilot, he’s not getting paid!

But, when you’re moving, he’s usually getting paid pretty well (especially after 22 yrs...all depends on the airline, the position, the aircraft in the States), and so I can’t complain.

 

[GazM]

Travel time per week 10 hours. 37 hour working week. On-call probably 24/7 2 weeks out of 4 which I'd rather not do as it messes with home/social life but it pays.

 

[manchester blue]

2012 - 2015
55+ hours a week plus the work phone always on = stressed and unhappy.

2016 -2017 35 hours a week, work phone turned off and lobbed in glove box until next day - effectively given myself a 10 grand a year pay cut = not stressed and far happier home life!

This sounds like me. I worked 37 hours at a previous job but it was a seven day week 16 hour a day operation tat I managed so I was getting calls at all times and easily worked 50 hours per week. Now I work 35, based at home and, in reality, work about 25/30 of those hours and have zero responsibility. Less money but very happy. For those working lots of extra unpaid hours I would say, from experience, it really is not worth it.

 

[mayo31]

I work in the public sector and always have. I do fuck all apparently and I am paid really well for it. T&C's are ok. They were better but hey ho.

Pension pot not bad either.

Contracted to do 36.40 hours a week. We have flexi time. That's nice as means an extra day off a month if you build the time up.

Never worked a minutes overtime in 31 years and never will. I do not do emails etc when I out of the office. Was asked if i wanted a laptop for home working, simply said why would I work at home? I have all required resources in the office.

 

[sir baconface]

This is it. Back in the day you worked longer hours for more money but now you’re older you can look back and ask whether it was worth it.

You say materially yes, but at some cost to family life and your personal health (with you linking the mild heart attack).

If you could rewind the clock, would you do the same as you did so you can have the material luxuries or would you value the family time more than the extra money?

What do people think? Work your arse off to get as much £££ as you can or relax and earn enough to get by?

Good question! I'd love to say I'd do it all completely differently because that's the right answer. On the other hand, I've actually enjoyed most of my working life, got some fulfilment out of it, and still have three lovely adult kids. That's more fortunate than many.

I am also quite driven and working at half steam wouldn't sit easily. So, being honest, I'd change the balance a little but maybe not fundamentally.

 

[the plasterer]

Sadly that is the building game.
When I came out of the forces I was employed as a plasterers labourer and grafted for my money when the grant work was rife.
No fancy mechanical devices back in the eighties.
We used a hand held posser and the sweat of my brow.
Cement mixer to carry up to all the levels.
We also mixed in the bath.

Everything had to be kept so immaculatly clean..
What a physically demanding job a plasterer and plasterers labourer was !
Hardest graft job in the building game ..

Yep, I spent first 2 years of apprenticeship mixing carlite in an old bath with a rake, plaster mixing was done with an old grid cover on a stick (podger), the good old days, apprentices have it easy now that's for sure