Contract with Work

[Mouse1903]

So been doing a new job since October doing 4 week rotation in Angola, although it's really 29 days away and 26 at home. I'm about to go back tomorrow and because of christmas I've still yet to have a full 26 days at home. My back to back is due a baby mid-Feb and is getting 2 weeks paternity leave, meaning he is home for 6 weeks. I thought I'd do my usual 4 and they would get cover over there. Get told today by my manager that I'm doing a 6 week trip which is total crap. He is also saying in my contract that I signed that I'm on a fixed salary and will "work to operational requirements" meaning I get no extra pay or time back. Can they legally do this? I don't see how it's fair that since my back to back is having a baby I have to work extra unpaid, home for just 11 days then away again for another 29!

Pissed off is an understatement.

[Mr Pointy]

Do you have a copy of your contract? What does it say about working time & pay?

I think without knowing what's in your contract it going to be difficult to give any advice.

[Mouse1903]

Don't have it to hand but basically says 182/182 home / away rotation, doing 7 days a week 10 hours a day (in reality it's 5 hours a week 9.5 hours a day). Says you will work to operational requirements and failure to adhere to a reasonable request will result in disciplinary action

Edited by Mouse1903 on Monday 2nd February 16:11

[parabolica]

Are you sure it doesn't say anything about extended duty bonus, stay over or field break buyout? Very unusual for a commuter contract not to have something covering extra work compensation.

[lambysdad]

If you are rotating Angola then I can only assume you are in the Oil Industry?
'Working to Operational requirements' is pretty standard in a contract, but I would check it anyway...although they are usually quite basic so may not go into much detail.

The best thing to do would be speak with your b2b and try and get your time back that way. That's what the majority of people on rotations do.

[anonymous-user]

Wasn't in my contract when I was in Sogo, but never had this problem just worked it with my back to back so one of us was there, so if I did 5 weeks on because he was late, then I got 5 weeks off next time.

[SLCZ3]

I would wager that unless your pay is "Sheet" it will pay better than being on the dole, chat with the man and arrange to sort it out so you get more off the next time round, as in three weeks on and 5 weeks off until the rota is back to normal.

[Mouse1903]

Well I arrived 4 weeks ago and spoke to my boss. He said that my contract states that and HR could enforce it, but he wasn't going to do that and said as long as I was contactable and checking emails the first 2 weeks I was home, which I said I had no problem doing.

The whole 4 week trip he was dropping hints about me doing longer, but I took it as a joke as he can be like that. He hadn't told one of the other managers below him, who was going to be covering for me it seems, as I got home yesterday and got a call from him saying I shouldn't have left and that I really need to come into our office in the UK and work there for 2 weeks. I was totally pissed having done the busiest trip of my life, and trying to study 14 hours a week on top of it, so argued with him and said that it made no difference me going into the office.

Called my boss and explained what happened, he kind of back tracked on what he said and had the cheek to say that because he dropped hints that meant I really should have stayed, despite me speaking to him in person and him agreeing I could leave. Total poor man management. Ok I signed the contract, but why should I work an extra 2 weeks unpaid to not at least get the 2 weeks back? 6 weeks on, 2 weeks off and still to have had a full 4 week trip at home since I started. Plus the company is paying for my studying which I am finding pretty tough.