Question: Shifts/Flexibility

[Vekerio]

Hi everyone!

I’m applying for a train manager role and have a quick question.

I’m currently in a relationship and my partner has a child. We’re looking to take the next step and move in together in the later part of this year. As such, I would become responsible for childcare when she works and vice versa.

As such, I was wondering if this would be an issue were I to be successful in my application. Are set shifts allowed? She can choose between a 4 or 5 day working week, so not every shift would have to be set, however I’m slightly concerned this could pose an issue.

I’ve always wanted to do this as a career and I’m finally going for it. Now that I am, I’m worrying myself!

Thanks everyone

Just realised I haven’t stated which company, it’s GwR.

 

[coxxy]

It would pose an issue.

 

[Vekerio]

It would pose an issue.

Oh no, really? Do they not do set working patterns?

 

[coxxy]

Would be better waiting for someone from GWR to give you examples of their shifts but no,traincrew don't get to choose which days you can work or can't easily.

 

[REO Nate]

Hi everyone!

I’m applying for a train manager role and have a quick question.

I’m currently in a relationship and my partner has a child. We’re looking to take the next step and move in together in the later part of this year. As such, I would become responsible for childcare when she works and vice versa.

As such, I was wondering if this would be an issue were I to be successful in my application. Are set shifts allowed? She can choose between a 4 or 5 day working week, so not every shift would have to be set, however I’m slightly concerned this could pose an issue.

I’ve always wanted to do this as a career and I’m finally going for it. Now that I am, I’m worrying myself!

Thanks everyone

Just realised I haven’t stated which company, it’s GwR.

Just for clarity.

Are you asking if you can set your own shift pattern?

Or whether there is a defined shift pattern with fixed rest days, that you’ll know when they are months in advance?

 

[Vekerio]

Just for clarity.

Are you asking if you can set your own shift pattern?

Or whether there is a defined shift pattern with fixed rest days, that you’ll know when they are months in advance?

Hi there!

More of a defined pattern. My partner works retail as a senior manager. So for example could start at 5am and finish whenever x4/5 days to hit 35hr a week and vice versa with PM shifts.

Essentially I’d have to work opposite shifts for childcare. Ideally would like one day a week together, but the question is regarding if it’s probable in the event of employment that a rota could be created that caters for this

 

[Class2ldn]

Very doubtful, maybe after a few years you might get something worked out but when you first start you'd be expected to meet all the shift times be that early or late.
If you dont think you could do that then i don't think the railway would be a good environment, people coming in and expecting not to work the same shifts as everyone else never goes down well and if you disclosed you wanted to have particular shifts at an interview its highly doubtful you'd proceed much further in the process.

 

[dctraindriver]

You will make it work between you both if it’s really what you think you want to do, may mean someone else covering for a few hours a day occasionally but you will make it work. The railway is awkward with regards to shift work, but in fairness that’s the same in many other occupations dotted around the land. Shift work isn’t unique to the railway, bar the random start and finish times which can be a pain. But most people with families make it work.

 

[Vekerio]

You will make it work between you both if it’s really what you think you want to do, may mean someone else covering for a few hours a day occasionally but you will make it work. The railway is awkward with regards to shift work, but in fairness that’s the same in many other occupations dotted around the land. Shift work isn’t unique to the railway, bar the random start and finish times which can be a pain. But most people with families make it work.

This is very reassuring to hear.

I couldn't find much information about parents making it work, or the ability to be flexi.

There must be a lot of people who manage to make it work. Provided she hits 35 hours a week, or 32 one week, 38 the next and so on, and we're able to drop off and collect the little one from nursery or have one of us home when not, we should be fine. Obviously the bio-dad will have her twice weekly too, and my partner will probably have one of her days off where she can relax child free. So in theory I would have atleast 3 days a week where I would be able to work whatever shifts.

She's on very good terms with her manager too, so I'm sure she'd be able to work out an arrangement around my rotas and I could do something also.

 

[WirralLine]

The perk is once you're out of training and into the link (roster) you should be able to work out what shifts you're working months in advance (until the next timetable change anyway - the shifts usually change then too).

I can't speak for GWR as I don't work for them, but where I work my rest day and shift pattern remains the same regardless of timetable changes- so I know ill be alternating early week, late week, early week, etc. Long weekend every 3 weeks with a fixed 3 week rest day pattern, however I know not to plan things for an afternoon in June just yet as the shift content and times will change in the May to change. So if I needed to arrange child care, I could plan ahead now for almost the next 5 months. You can always arrange mutual swops with a colleague if any are willing to, eg I need a later start on Tuesday - but can't be relied on of course especially if its one of the less favourable shifts.

The only thing which I find difficult to plan around is when you've got a spare shift on the roster. Again not sure on the agreements with this for other TOCs, but where I work if I am booked say 10am spare in the roster on Monday, I can be given a shift to cover in advance, starting up to 3 hours before or after 10am - in other words I won't know what I'm working on Monday until later this week when resources post the allocation sheets a few days before. So I could be given a shift starting between 7am and 1pm.

I personally have a permanent swop with a mutual partner, so I do permanent lates, he does permanent earlies. This is an option at some (most? All?) TOCs, however requires finding somebody yourself and where I work is at the discretion of resources. Where I work you have to wait a certain amount of time after passing out solo before you can be considered for a permanent swop.

Either way, it's a pretty good setup and easy enough to plan around.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[GemGem]

Working mum here. Like the others have said you get given a roster 6 months in advance so you know what you’re doing in advance but they aren’t set days. Again as someone has said spare turns you can be moved time (toc specific as to how many hours this is) so that may pose a challenge if you’re booking childcare. I always used to book earlier on those days. My kids are in infant and primary school now so slightly less of an issue. I used to use a nursery that accommodated shift worker bookings so I would let them know a week in advance what hours I needed. It takes a lot of planning but you make it work.

 

[43066]

Essentially I’d have to work opposite shifts for childcare. Ideally would like one day a week together, but the question is regarding if it’s probable in the event of employment that a rota could be created that caters for this

Just be really clear on this, the answer to the above will almost certainly be “highly improbable”. You will follow the same rotational roster your colleagues do, and will be required to work everything on that subject to swaps, annual leave etc. Accommodated hours isn’t going to be something that’s likely to be available immediately, and perhaps won’t be at all.

You certainly won’t be able to tell work “I can only work lates three days this week”, if you’re rostered earlies. You could potentially swap your early shifts for lates, or swap the days you’re working that week, but that would rely on finding someone willing to do it (your responsibility, not the TOC’s) and work will need to approve it to ensure it doesn’t flag up on the fatigue index etc. That is what people mean by “making it work” - you potentially could, but it’ll be down to you to make the arrangements, not the TOC.

 

[Krokodil]

I can't speak for GWR but many operators have their traincrew on a rolling rest day pattern which repeats every three weeks: MT-WTh-FS with the Sundays dotted around randomly, this means a five day long weekend every three weeks.

Early/late patterns vary, some depots alternate each week while others have three weeks of earlies followed by three weeks of lates. If there is an odd number of lines in the link this can get disrupted. It is often possible to arrange permanent swaps with colleagues, and you'll have more luck with this if you are willing to permanently work late shifts because earlies are more popular. You may not be allowed to do this until you have been in the job for a year though.

There are plenty of traincrew who make parenting work, but they don't tend to do it by asking for special treatment. Some have partners who work flexibly, in other cases both partners are on the railway so they make sure that they are on opposite sides of the roster so that if one is on, the other is off. There is often some reliance on grandparents. While you are in training you will probably be working Mon-Fri 9-5 before starting work in the link.

 

[Horizon22]

It is feasible, but two people both working shifts and managing childcare is very difficult; I know people in this situation and they are having to continuously plan months in advance and often very rarely see their partner as they are on opposite shifts. They also need to organise lots of shift swaps so they are able to accomodate.

As a new employee you won't have as much scope to alter your pattern accordingly with colleagues and you certainly won't get special treatment. It can definitely be done, but it is obviously going to be more difficult and this is something you should take into account.

 

[800301]

A flexible working agreement can been submitted which would allow you to specify what you want, it may not always be granted but you might be able to agree on something that works for both you, partner and company, you just have to make sure it works for you, we have people that pretty much do permanent nights, others that work 9-5’s and other things that just make it easier, this agreement wouldn’t be possible during training and I’d think very carefully about proceeding if you aren’t in the position to cover childcare costs as at the start I doubt you’d get what you want straight away. I was lucky and able to get a permanent shift swap with another driver.

My partner works a job M-F 9-5 and I’m a driver who works permeant lates, it’s been tough to say the least but it works for us but only because our child is at nursery 3 days a week (just under £800 a month) and we have childcare for the other 2 days a week.

As the other posts above have said, it won’t be possible to just make up your hours or say you can only do lates this week, you will have a rota with your jobs on and your rest day pattern and we generally plan to that rather than them planning around us

 

[Brickz]

Kids can go nursery for free from the start of term after their 3rd birthday, if you pick a nursery that's within a school then the only extra costs are if they stay during the lunch hour so if they are there all day otherwise Monday to Friday 3 hours a day completely free. Private nursery types come with added costs normally. And if your child is 2 years old you can also get free childcare if your eligible ( both parents have to be working above a minimum amount of hours) again same as the 3years onwards find one thats within a school that accepts from 2 years and no added or hidden fees you can check all this for more information online on the government's website

 

[GemGem]

It’s only 30 hours from 3 and 15 hours from 9 months just so you know. Its not totally free

 

[Brickz]

It depends what type they go too my 4year old goes morning session so only like 3 hours per day Monday to Friday (it's a nursery that's within a primary school) we don't pay anything, our 2 year old has just started at a different nursery that's also within a different primary school doing morning session so only like 3 hours a day Mon to Friday and it's also completely free but if we was to send them for full days then yes would have to pay for the lunch hour and also school food unless send in a pack lunch. The private type of nursery do their timings differently which work out you end up paying towards to day and also for lunch hour as most will only do full day bookings.