Contract and hours question?

[dunning]

Hi all
Basically just a quick question for those in the know with employment law etc.
My girlfriend works for a big retailer who shall remain nameless, basically she is contracted to 37.5hrs a week, it is stated in the contract that as she is in a management role she will be required to work extra hours to the need of the company, which is a bit of a grey area in itself, what is classed as the needs of the company? Stocktake etc they usually stay back really late which they expect to do and when there's sales etc on they stay back to start promotions off etc. which is class as 'the needs of the company' anyway, basics out of the way..... A normal shift used to be 8-4.30 9-5.30 or 12-8.30 which was always fine, now they've been told they have to work an extra 45 mins every day without pay. I know it doesn't seem much really but the pay isn't the greatest in the first place and to have to do an extra 45mins every day without pay, would this be classed as 'the needs of the company' this isn't been implemented countrywide, just a certain 'region'
Sorry, I'm not sure it's reading back very clear and I know it wasn't exactly a quick question, typing this on my phone and it wasn't as easy as I thought to read back haha.

Basically, where does my girlfriend stand, the extra 45mins everyday, does she legally have to do this or can she refuse to? She's not the only one unhappy about the hours, numerous members of staff aren't happy about it but because it says in the contract they have to do extra to the needs of the company they don't think they can do anything about it,can anyyone give any advice or point me in the right direction or whether they can actually do anything or not?
Thanks in advance

Edit: it's salary based btw, just encase that makes any difference

Edited by dunning on Thursday 12th June 22:52

[Pit Pony]

Welcome to a "Staff" position, where the more work you do, the more you will be expected to do. The dangling of a carrot of a dubious and unlikely career path, where you will find more glass ceilings than in a conservatory roof manufacturer.

It's a real pita to realise you are being screwed over. I'd suggest that she stores up the hours in a book, and when she needs to go early, she points to the extra hours over the previous months she has put in. Also, she's in management, so she needs to learn to deligate, and dump.

But typical of retail management in my experience. (and engineering, and banking)

I went for an interview for a job in turbocharger manufacturer, and they explained that overtime wasn't paid, but you were expected to do what was needed. I explained that if that meant they would give me a NPI project that was already running late, and expect me to pull it out of the bag by working 60 hour weeks, then I didn't want the job, and they shouldn't offer it me, but I explained that if the plan was good, and in the last few days, some technical problem had caused everything to run late, then of course for the last push to job one, I would happily stay all night, if that meant someone like Ford were kept happy, but that I'd then take the time owing after the event.

They offered me the job, and then a) expected 55 hours a week to hit stupid targets, b) expected me to clock in for 37 hours a week, even if the previous 10 weeks I'd had to cancel holidays and c) the final straw, they thought travel time should be in my own time, and travelling to Italy to negotiate an assembly line on a bank holiday Monday, returning on Friday night, did not warrant a day off in lieu.
They used fear of not being able to pay the mortgage to get me to do it.
tts

[Jasandjules]

Sounds fairly normal to me. More senior staff are required to undertake the hours necessary to complete the job.

What is the extra 45 mins per day for?

[ofcorsa]

Jasandjules said:

Sounds fairly normal to me. More senior staff are required to undertake the hours necessary to complete the job.

What is the extra 45 mins per day for?

Devils advocate here but


Why not have meaningful contract that fully covers the job . I.e a 45 hour working week?

[ChasW]

Normally in a contract of employment for non-hourly paid staff the statement is prefaced by "from time to time" it may be necessary to work extra hours etc. It would appear to me that making it routine is a change to the terms of the contract.