Sleep? Who needs sleep?

The BBQ Pit
21

I think Master Wang-Ka’s letter is awesome and wholly appropriate. Use it!

I had a similar situation at my most recent job—they had morning classes that were mandatory, and they’d expect the evening and night people to work 16 hours a day (8 hours work, 8 hours class). God forbid they allow us any sleep, or anything. And our job duties involved direct care of patients: giving meds, baths, etc. Not something you really want to do when you haven’t had any damned sleep.

Fortunately, I knew that the powers that be could not force us to work any overtime. So when I saw on the schedule that they’d had me down for 16 hours, I would call up the supervisor and tell her to pick one shift, 'cause I wasn’t doing both. (And then they’d change the schedule for me.)

It was amazing, however, how many employees thought that since it was written on the schedule, they had to do it. I think the bosses exploited this: the figured, they’d put any absurd, beyond-unreasonable thing on the schedule, just to see if it’d stick. With most employees, apparently, it would.

I did hate, however, having to work an evening shift (getting off at 11 pm) and then having to get up at about 6 am, in order to leave at 7 am to drive an hour down to where the classes were being held. (Yes, we had to drive an hour.) I would be so tired I was barely able to function, but hey! I was there.

One time I was driving down there, running a little late (with almost zero sleep because I couldn’t get to sleep the night before) and I got pulled over for speeding. Yes, I was speeding. I was also incoherent with exhaustion. I was very contrite to the cop and explained why I was so tired and what my employers expected of me (my employers were big in that town and everyone knew of them) and he was sympathetic. Enough so that he let me off with a warning. (The first he’d given that day, he said.) There’s something to be said for being pathetic, I guess.

Another thing that irritated me was when I’d drag myself down to the class (hour drive, remember) only to find out that they’d cancelled it and never told me. They did this several times. Typical inteptitude.

Also, I knew that they had classes in the evening (during my normal shift) but was I ever allwed to attend those classes? Oh, hell no. Because that would interfere with my 8 hour shift and we couldn’t have that. They didn’t want to find anyone to cover me, so much better to drag me down to the class with no sleep than to allow me to just go to the class during my regular working hours.

22

Nothing ever really happens except on day shift you know. At least that’s what they seem to think.
I work second shift at a hospital lab and run into this all the time. There’s a certain amount of mandatory continuing education to be completed every year. And without fail, all the classes are given on day shift. I get straight comp time for coming in early. Whoo.
I couldn’t even get a flu shot the past couple of years because those were only given on select days, first shift and I couldn’t make it in early.
I’ve complained frequently, but it’s a federal job-nobody cares.

Hope your situation gets better.

23

Wow, Papa Tiger’s situation must be unusual – he recently was working nights and got scheduled for daytime training, and his supervisor voluntarily arranged for him to switch shifts with someone else to cover for him for two nights before his training so he’d have his clock well shifted before having to show up for the class.

You have my sympathies. And my vote for using Master Wang-ka’s letter. It makes me nervous, too, to think that the folks I depend on in an emergency may be so sleep-deprived they either (a) screw up or (b) are snoring on their desk when I need their help!

24

From what I’ve seen, my hospital seems to try to take this into account for the more important stuff at least. I know the employee health fair was really only do-able for 1st and 2nd shift workers, but for stuff like the “so what do you think needs to happen around here” type of meetings with the CEO, where everyone can come and talk/listen, they have one scheduled for each shift, which means the CEO is hanging out around 2 am or so, talking with employees.

25

Anyone who wishes to borrow the letter, please be my guest.

The original draft read something like,

“Listen up, you posturing arrogant prick, I will obey your orders rather than lose my job, but I flatly refuse to take the fall alone if I fall asleep because of your idiotic demands and some form of shit hits the fan. I have all the evidence I need to take your ass with me, and I will do so gleefully and with vigor if the opportunity arises, you selfish, inconsiderate bastard.”

I felt that might be a bit extreme… but the fact remains: requiring that a graveyard employee risk his safety, or anyone else’s, for ANY reason, sets up liability issues. I simply made the point that I was not willing to face that, and that I would drag down the temple with me if something bad happened.

Most bosses I’ve had have been quite reasonable about working with the graveyard people. This one, though, was one of the ones who seems to feel that cheerfully and blatantly crapping on his employees is one of the perks of authority.

…and these need to be taken down goddamn quick. Otherwise, they get more comfortable with it.

It’s important, though, to draw a distinction between jerks like the one mentioned above, and the oblivious. I’ve had people who simply, somehow, decided that I slept at night, even though I was scheduled for graveyard and was responsible for the duties therein. Even supervisors sometimes do this, because we’re ALL accustomed to the idea that people sleep at night, and therefore will be active all day.

It’s also important to hammer it down: Nightdwellers have sleep rhythms, same as ordinary people. If you get in the habit of going to bed at ten and getting up at six, you will become tired around ten, and you will tend to wake up at six.

The same thing is true of nightdwellers. If you get in the habit of going to bed at nine in the morning, and rising at six in the evening, this is your habit. Most people simply can’t “switch themselves off” and click on whenever it’s convenient for the boss. I personally have had to educate more than one boss about that.

“Can’t you, just, sleep four hours, wake up, come in for the training session, go home, sleep four more hours, and come to work all fresh and ready to go when your shift starts?”

NO, YOU EMPTY HEADED FOOL, I CANNOT, and I recommend YOU try this shit sometime by bouncing awake at 1 a.m., showering, shaving, getting dressed, driving downtown, staying awake for an hour, then driving home and going back to bed, and seeing how fresh YOU feel when your damn duty shift starts!!!

ahem

Of course, one should assess one’s boss or supervisor, and adjust the presentation accordingly. Diplomacy counts, you know.

Even with idiots.

26

I’m not saying this to point fingers at you or be a prick, but if the cop had been doing his duty, he would have arrested you for driving while impaired. Seriously. Driving while overtired is as serious as driving while drunk or stoned.

Actually, this is probably a point that should be made to these unbelievable employers who are scheduling their night shift to come into day classes then go work another night shift.

27

Well, from what I’ve heard, most cops will tell overtired drivers to pull over and get some rest. They won’t usally arrest them unless they are weaving wildly and acting belligerent (which I was not). Sheesh!

Thankfully, I’m out of that hellhole job so I won’t have to worry about such bullshit any more.

28

Well, I’m awake. Mostly.

The first class wasn’t too bad, although it did show a tendency to get pithy. For example, the teacher played tapes of bad 911 calls and good 911 calls, showed us a picture of a Big Scary Clown, and admonished, “Don’t be the clown!” The textbook is full of nifty quotes such as, “If you hear hoofbeats, assume it’s a horse and not a zebra, and usually you’ll be right” and my personal favorite, “Mutate or die!” Fortunately there’s a lot of very good information mixed in with the cuteness, so I’ll spend some time while on vacation (and after I’ve slept) reviewing it.

Tonight’s my last night at work for two whole weeks! I’ll get to sleep at night like a normal person! With my husband! Unfortunately our internet is down at home, so I’m gonna be jonesin’ for some SDMB by the time I get back. :frowning:

Bye!