Harecastle tunnel lunch break.

[oldironsides]

The tunnel keepers at Harecastle are now taking a 30 minute lunch break. This is taken with no boats in the tunnel and at no set time. So, be prepared for a wait if you hit the wrong time!

 

This is due to them having a change in their contract, apparently.

[Guest]

The tunnel keepers at Harecastle are now taking a 30 minute lunch break. This is taken with no boats in the tunnel and at no set time. So, be prepared for a wait if you hit the wrong time!

 

This is due to them having a change in their contract, apparently.

I think this has been in place for some time now, I have a hazy recollection of a previous discussion here and the need to comply with possibly the working time directive and rules about breaks.............I think......

[Kae]

Don't they get a break whilst the boats are in the tunnel?

[RLWP]

Don't they get a break whilst the boats are in the tunnel?

 

Just in case someone take that seriously...

 

No they don't. They keep track of which boats went in, which ones come out and how long they take. They take tunnel safety seriously, I thought they were very professional

 

Richard

[Guest]

Just in case someone take that seriously...

 

No they don't. They keep track of which boats went in, which ones come out and how long they take. They take tunnel safety seriously, I thought they were very professional

 

Richard

Plus of course they listen out for anybody blowing their horn (is it three times in succession) which signifies you have broken down in the tunnel, they will then come and rescue you.

[Boondock]

We had this when passing southbound last year. We thought it an ideal opportunity to have ours as well. From memory we had a selection of cold meats, salad and sun dried focaccia bread washed down with a South African Chablis. The Keeper had a Ham sandwich and a flask of Bovrill.

 

Cheers Boondock

[cheshire~rose]

 

Just in case someone take that seriously...

 

No they don't. They keep track of which boats went in, which ones come out and how long they take. They take tunnel safety seriously, I thought they were very professional

 

Richard

 

Agreed

 

The guy at the portal waiting for boats to come out will be keeping track of progress and listening for the horn blasts

 

The guy at the portal with the next batch of boats to go in will be giveing each and every boat a briefing on how to ensure they stay safe while in there.

 

I would hate to get into trouble in there is a tunnel keeper was lacking in concentration due to low blood sugar - it is only a short break in proceedings at a place where boaters have to accept there may be a delay in their travel anyway.

 

Good chance to have lunch yourself or have a nice chat to the others waiting in the queue.

[Arthur Marshall]

Talked to them about this last year. Their contracts have been changed, a lot of money cut as well as their hours. The new contract doesn't pay them for lunch breaks but they have to take at least half an hour under the usual employment rules. the old contract was more or less a salary, so lunch breaks were paid for, so they tended to eat while working. Now, they don't get paid, they stop work. And quite right too.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Had the shortest wait ever at Harecastle yesterday - didn't even get a chance to moor up, just ushered straight in after the tunnel keeper checked the crew (dog) and asked if I knew the drill.

[YamYam]

Well I'd sack them and give the job to some Romanians.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Said purely in jest before I get jumped on

[Arthur Marshall]

Don't jest - some of them have already resigned as under their new contracts the job doesn't pay enough to give them a living wage. Mostly, they are now people with other income such as a pension (one;s a retired fireman). When CART took over, the new contracts were short term (so they lose employment rights), no more paid holidays, sick leave, lunch breaks etc. Other lock-keepers had different contracts as they were unionised.

[Androo]

Changing subject a little but still related to Harecastle Tunnel.

 

Didn't someone bang their head on the tunnel recently and fall off the back of their boat and drown whilst inside the tunnel?

[Idunhoe]

Androo Someone did indeed sadly die very recently but the cause is as yet pure speculation.

[Guest]

Changing subject a little but still related to Harecastle Tunnel.

 

Didn't someone bang their head on the tunnel recently and fall off the back of their boat and drown whilst inside the tunnel?

Correct.

 

Cause still to be determined though.

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=66789&hl=harecastle

[Flyboy]

Well I'd sack them and give the job to some Romanians.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Said purely in jest before I get jumped on.

You may be interested to know that 2 Harecastle tunnel keepers were sacked late last year as a cost saving excercise. Both of these were the the most helpful chaps you could wish to meet and did a fantastic job in promoting the canals. Consider yourself jumped on.

[trackman]

UK law always made it a legal requirement to give workers at least 30mins break if they worked 5hrs or more. Working Time Directive is not to blame for this.

It has also always been common for staff to ignore the break and work on through. Understandably when employers get tough on their staff, the staff bite back in any way they can that doesn't risk their jobs too much. Loyalty works both ways and if people aren't shown any they show none in return.

[Arthur Marshall]

It's not a question of them getting tough with their staff. Originally they were paid eg 8 hours including lunch break. Now they get paid 7.5 hours for the same length of day. This is not getting tough, it's a pay cut.

 

And, no doubt, you say, why should they get paid to eat their lunch? Well, white collar workers historically do, blue collar workers historically don't. It's back to the class thing of them and us, and making damn sure the underdog know his or her place. I bet the office workers at CART who changed the rules still get paid for their lunch breaks.

 

The thing about a change in your terms and conditions of employment is that you the employee don;t have a choice - it's accept it or quit. It's actually the last remaining vestige of feudalism, is contract law!

[Guest]

Arthur Marshall, on 28 May 2014 - 3:46 PM, said:Arthur Marshall, on 28 May 2014 - 3:46 PM, said:Arthur Marshall, on 28 May 2014 - 3:46 PM, said:

It's not a question of them getting tough with their staff. Originally they were paid eg 8 hours including lunch break. Now they get paid 7.5 hours for the same length of day. This is not getting tough, it's a pay cut.

 

And, no doubt, you say, why should they get paid to eat their lunch? Well, white collar workers historically do, blue collar workers historically don't. It's back to the class thing of them and us, and making damn sure the underdog know his or her place. I bet the office workers at CART who changed the rules still get paid for their lunch breaks.

 

The thing about a change in your terms and conditions of employment is that you the employee don;t have a choice - it's accept it or quit. It's actually the last remaining vestige of feudalism, is contract law!

 

I think you will find lots of so called 'white collar' workers do not, plus a lot do not have fixed hours, they are just expected to work the hours required to do the job. In my case before I retired this was normally around 50 hours per week some times more, a lot more. Yes I was well paid but equally I couldn't just say 'right I'm off' at 5 o clock either, or if I did it was to carry on what I needed doing at home.

Edited May 28, 2014 by The Dog House

[cheshire~rose]

I feel a great deal of empathy for the guys who have had new contracts, many of whom are time served and hugeley experienced employees. Of course there is much written about it on this forum because we are all canal users but the treatment the CRT employees are experiencing is no different to millions of other people in all walks of life.

 

Ask any teacher, local government employee or those that work for the NHS how they are fairing and you will get very similar stories. In the private sector the pinch is affecting everyone. People who used to be able to work hard and keep their nose clean to bolster their meagre wage with a useful little bonus have found the goal posts have moved so far that bonuses are unattainable and many people lwork under the constant threat of losing their job if they set a foot wrong. It is the way of the economy at present and CRT have to balance the books the same as every other employer, whether private or public sector.

[Guest]

cheshire~rose, on 28 May 2014 - 4:10 PM, said:

I feel a great deal of empathy for the guys who have had new contracts, many of whom are time served and hugeley experienced employees. Of course there is much written about it on this forum because we are all canal users but the treatment the CRT employees are experiencing is no different to millions of other people in all walks of life.

 

Ask any teacher, local government employee or those that work for the NHS how they are fairing and you will get very similar stories. In the private sector the pinch is affecting everyone. People who used to be able to work hard and keep their nose clean to bolster their meagre wage with a useful little bonus have found the goal posts have moved so far that bonuses are unattainable and many people lwork under the constant threat of losing their job if they set a foot wrong. It is the way of the economy at present and CRT have to balance the books the same as every other employer, whether private or public sector.

 

Sadly this is correct.....

[Jerra]

This is not getting tough, it's a pay cut.

Personally I consider cutting somebody's pay getting tough.

[Emerald Fox]

"Well I'd sack them and give the job to some Romanians....."

What have u got against string-vested Bulgarians??!!

 

And... 30 minutes a terrible inconvenience?

I was told that if you're in a hurry, you shouldn't be on the canals...

[Machpoint005]

If the Romanians (or Bulgarians) have the necessary skills, there is no reason why not. There may be some who do -- I don't know.

 

However, I would far rather entrust my own safety in a tunnel to somebody who is well motivated, happy in his or her work, and reasonably well paid for doing the job. Redefining an eight-hour working day as a 7.5 hour working day, and expecting the same job to be done, is a pay cut of more than 6%. That isn't likely to be a positive motivation.

[Graham Davis]

UK law always made it a legal requirement to give workers at least 30mins break if they worked 5hrs or more. Working Time Directive is not to blame for this.

 

Obviously doesn't apply to single manned mechanical signal boxes because we have NO relief for anything!!