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posted by cmn32480 on Thursday December 10 2015, @06:25AM   Printer-friendly
from the put-in-a-ticket dept.

Hey Soylentils,

One of my least favorite parts of my job is on call work. I'm wondering if there are any standard practices when it comes to afterhour on call work. At the moment, I am on call 50% of the time. (I share it with one other person). When I am on call, I am expected to answer the ticket within 15 minutes, which means:

- I can't leave the city
- Going to a restaurant/movie/etc is a gamble.
- Sometimes I have to drop whatever I'm doing and answer a call.

Thankfully, I don't get many calls -- Maybe one per week that I can resolve in 30 minutes. In exchange for carrying the pager, I am paid a flat rate of $250CAD/week. After taxes, it works out to more like $150. I am sick to death of carrying the pager. I hate being restricted in my movements on my time off. I like to get out to the mountains, and because of pager, I can't.

Now, there are rumors that the company might remove that $250/week because of "the economic times". That basically would mean that I am giving up my freedom 50% of the time for nothing, and that I should be happy to have a job. Needless to say, I'm a little upset at that prospect...

So, Soylentils, what are your pager practices? Do you get paid for on call work? What happens if you miss a call? Do you have a backup on-call person? Do you get time off in lieu?


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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday December 10 2015, @09:42AM

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Thursday December 10 2015, @09:42AM (#274355) Journal

    Yup. Double that because you only have to join forces with the one other guy who shares the job to really put the company's balls in a vice.

    The two of you need to get together and agree the minimum conditions you'd accept to continue in the on-call role. Then increase your demands (but keep them reasonable) to give yourself some haggle room. At the same time, you and your colleague should be trying to get some other job offers lined up. At the very least, take the odd afternoon off for "personal reasons" but make sure that the office gossip hears that you are going to an interview.

    Now you and your colleague are ready to go into the boss' office individually, each proposing the same set of terms. He'll try to turn you against one another, divide and conquer, but stay firm: These terms or I hand the pager back / hand in my notice." Unless he's a complete moron the boss will soon realise that (a) you two are working together and (b) if he doesn't negotiate he's fucked. Unless he's a real asshole willing to cut his own nose off to spite his face, eventually he'll bring you both in together to talk it out. Now you can let him haggle you down towards your original agreed terms. Obviously, make sure the boss puts the new terms into your contract, and signs it. Don't let him wriggle out of what he has agreed.

    Good luck!

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 10 2015, @10:38AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 10 2015, @10:38AM (#274364)

    The solution lies in solidarity with your co-worker.

    See also Marco2G, below.

    -- gewg_

    • (Score: 5, Interesting) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday December 10 2015, @12:15PM

      by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Thursday December 10 2015, @12:15PM (#274387) Homepage Journal

      Not necessarily. It's quite possible to argue a good deal on your own if you have leverage to do so and it sounds like OP does.

      Personally, my pager time went like this or I flat would not carry one:

      • Pay me a flat rate for carrying the pager at all. Negotiable on how often and how long I have to carry it.
      • Pay me hourly call-out fees if I actually have to answer a call. Minimum of two hours or whatever fits your situation.
      • Don't expect me to be able to be on site in less than an hour and you will be paying me windshield time until I get back home.
      • I don't come in to work until I've had eight uninterrupted hours of sleep.

      Your mileage may vary but those were my terms if I were going to be tied to the life and health of my servers 24/7 back in the day.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.
  • (Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday December 10 2015, @12:56PM

    by bzipitidoo (4388) on Thursday December 10 2015, @12:56PM (#274401) Journal

    One more thing. You have to be prepared to lose or quit the job. Bosses aren't the best thinkers, and sometimes will screw themselves badly, in order to deal with uppity workers. Do NOT count on them to do the smart thing, no matter how obvious. They might indeed cut off their own noses. Be ready, if that happens. Get your expenses down and your savings up so you can take whatever happens.

    Also, if you win this fight, don't get drunk on your victory. It can be real tempting to demand more, and more. If you really do want more after a win on the first issue, chill for a few days, think it over before you confront the boss again. Best to decide what more you want, what you feel you must have, and negotiate for everything at the same time. While you are fighting, try to stay calm and reasonable. If it isn't going well, you want him to look like the unreasonable jerk who won't deal fairly.

    Or the boss may put the ball back in your court. He may say no, call you. Then, will you walk, or were you just bluffing? Be ready to walk! Even there, try to give him a few days to realize how badly the company needs you, no need to walk out immediately. Its also very much worthwhile that other members of management have time to learn of the situation. Visit them, if necessary, to be sure they get word. Of course they may fire you instantly. I knew of one upper manager who enjoyed firing people, until he got the company into a wrongful termination lawsuit, which they lost. Stay away from that guy. They may order your immediate supervisor to give you what you ask. If after at least 3 days and possibly up to 2 weeks they still won't deal, then walk.