12 Days Straight

I have just finished working 12 days straight. This is the longest time allowed without a day off (I don’t know if the 12 day limit is governed by government road rules or union agreement).

In a 4 week roster period we are meant to have 2 days off each week and 1 ADO (accrued day off), a total to 9 days. However, management are allowed to cancel 2 of the days off and I am required to work them (of course, I get paid for them). This rule is part of the union agreement.

The 2 days are usually cancelled when the 4 week roster is published. However, more days off can be cancelled as the roster period progresses. If I want to preserve a day off (ie, not let it be cancelled) I must write my name against the appropriate date in the “Days Off Retention” diary. Even this does not guarantee it will not be cancelled. I had 1 ‘preserved’ day off cancelled, I think, because a lot of drivers had nominated the same day and I am near the bottom of the seniority list. I normally try to preserve all my days off.

There is also an “On Call” diary. A driver wishing to work on an allocated day off put their name against the appropriate date. I have never done this. Some drivers work 7 of their 9 days off, I assume, because they need the extra money.