"I don't know" is not an answer

[Dave Liquorice]

Yep, far to common in my sector for people to work 12 hr days 5, or even

6, days/week.

[Huge]

I don't do that shit any more. I'm too old, cynical and bolshie to be on call, work weekends, or as I did in 1997, '98, '99, 2000 and 2001, work over Christmas. I've done my share, let some other poor sod have McDonalds for Xmas lunch.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Dave and me work in TV production. You either work the hours 'they' want or not at all.

[ARW]

Dumb IMHO.

They can also blatantly lie.

When some damage occured to the rear of one of the vans an electricican got the blame. However I knew that it was an apprentice that had caused the damage. He swore blind that it was not him when the electrician confronted him - and what a mistake he made when he raised his first to the electrician. One punch and the apprentice was out cold.

And the one that swore blind he had not been smoking in the van stuck to his story until we gave him the fixed penalty charge for thowing the tab end out of the van window.And guess what - if you pay it early it is half price, if you do not pay it at all you get a summons. He decided to get a summons and will be up in court soon.

It's still better than the decorators apprentice who went through a 14 year olds knicker drawer and then told her what he had done via facebook.

It's not all youngsters though. I took my late friends son with me on Saturday to give me a hand. The owner of the house was so impressed with him that he invited him back the next day to do some work for him. Every so often you drop on a youngster that shines and you look after them.

[ARW]

I probably work 60 hours a week and that does not include the typical weekly travel time of aound 10 hours.

And today I have taken my first day off due to illness in about 8 years.

[Huge]

The guy cutting my hedges has a helper with him who must be ~18, and he's brilliant. Polite, works hard, does as he's told, apparently doesn't even own a 'phone. So they're not all w*nk*rs.

[Huge]

I thought you were retired?

I was doing Trading Floor support in the City. You either do computing stuff "out of hours" or not at all. And the only times that were available to do major (multi-day) upgrades or moves & changes are the long Bank Holiday weekends.

But I'm actually not only too old, cynical and bolshie to be on call, work weekends and all that crap, I'm too senior, too. So some other poor sod who needs the money gets to do it instead.

[Huge]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yup - but still do the odd day.

To which that applies.

I didn't mind the hours. Having my time off when others were working had its advantages.

[Dave Liquorice]

+1 at least the old and cynical bit. Bolshie in that I'm freelance so can choose wether to work stupid hours or not. The staffers along side me don't have that choice.

As Mr Plowman has said TV Production. I really don't understand why regular programmes such as the Street, Emmerdale, East Enders etc have to be produced based around a 60 hour week (120 hour fortnight). You don't find widget makers working 60 hour weeks as a matter of course to keep up with a steady and predictable widget demand. The company expands and employs more widget makers...

[Dave Liquorice]

Only an hours drive to a job? I wish, the closest regular work is an hour away. More often it's out the door about 0600 back through it around

2100, with only 8 hours on site.

[Huge]

Serves you right for living in the middle of nowhere. :o)

[whisky-dave]

I was refering to those doing 'community service' I don;t thnk they do iot by choice.

[Huge]

For the same reason dogs lick their bollocks; because they can.

[Dave Liquorice]

Wouldn't make a great deal if difference if I lived in Manchester. I'd then be going down to Birmingham which I don't do as it's too far and I'd still be coming up to Newcastle but now taking 2 - 3hrs instead of 1...

[damduck-egg]

You can get ointment for that.

G.Harman

[ARW]

Work just called - "can you just do an hour for us?"

Bastards.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The Bill managed with a 47 hour week per 1/2 hour finished material - mostly. And I'd say it was a bit more adventurous than Corrie. But it would depend on the size of the cast and who appears in each episode, as although you can have more than one crew working, you can't have the same talent in two places at once. Or use the same location for two units. But it is down to the production style. Lots of setups takes time. I've worked on one 'Bill' which was finished shooting in three days. Basically, the whole of part one was one shot.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Quite. Although given how long these progs have been around and the constant quest to increase profits, it's fair to say it's not a bad ballpark figure.

[bert]

No, some of them are Polish