Pookin

Just been reading a report which states that "31% of full-time workers in Australia work hours which would be unlawful in Europe."

I would like to hear some views from other office workers, particularly in Perth.

My only experience was a year at Telstra a few years ago, where I did a 37.5 hour week.

Not afraid of hard work, but getting worried about the amount of pub time I might lose!

PeteY

This varies hugely, and depends upon what work you are intending to do. If you want to be general then from all the aussies i have spoken to i would say yes, the hours of work are longer than in the UK.

One friend is a lawyer, and she works very long hours. Her average day is from 8 to 7 or 8, with 45 mins to an hr for lunch. She says her contract is for 7 hour days, but the extra "just comes with the territory". She said that office workers tend to work long hours, compared with europe, but tradespeople work about the same.

etlniwd

Which report was that and which country in Europe are you referring to?

My experience of Brisbane is that people work much less than they do in SE England where I lived before coming here. I've lost count of the number of people I've spoken to who are planning what to do during their 20 weeks 'long service leave'. I've never come across that luxury in England.

If you want a cushy job then try getting employed by Brisbane City Council. At the top of my road there are some minor roadworks. Standing next to them is a bloke holding a lollipop that says 'SLOW'. He has been standing there for three days and I haven't seen him move yet. I'm tempted to make him a stand for his lollipop so he can f*** off down the pub. It seems that level of technology hasn't reached these parts yet. It would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that I'm paying for this through my taxes.

Pookin

Here's the link:

http://www.actu.asn.au/public/papers/affiliateskit/

Like the lollypop story!

ohsohopeful

I can believe the council working hours thing. Some friends of ours work for the Queensland local government in Bris, in audits or accountancy or something similar. Although they're up and out to work at 7am, they're home by 4 or 5pm and of course out in the garden straight away.

They also get quite a lot of paid holiday and I believe they also work flexitime.

mrfrosty

As long as I dont have to work my current 50+ hours a week when I go to Oz I'll be happy.

Marcus

ace ventura

I worked in sydney a few years ago driving an excavator and we used to start at 7am and finish at 4pm alot less than what im doing now730 till 6 ,some mates have just come back a few months ago and were finishing at 3 so i cant wait for more ale time......hopefully

Kiwipaul

I can confirm what the others are saying about working for the gov, it's a cake walk. If you are full time you only have to work 37.5 hours per week and that is flexitime, so you can accumalate time to take an extra week off, you get 4 weeks holiday min plus bank holidays about 8 days. Allso if you want unpaid leave you just basically ask for it and they give it to you. Their is generally about 1 person from our dept on unpiad leave at anyone time.

You also seem to get unlimited sick pay (one guy was off for 12 months Full pay) and when he came back he was on light duties (doing nothing ) for 6 months because they didn't want to stress him. Actually we are all on light duties as their is so little work. (I'm talking about real work rather than writing reports that nobody reads which management seem keen on churning out).

If your full time employee you have effectively a job for life if you want it, but hard to get as most positions are for contractors where I am.

Dept is grossly underworked and half is made up of contractors (includeing me) which don't experience most of these advantages. I work about 42 hours per week as I only get paid for hours at work, no benefits, or holiday pay or sick leave but thats the lot of contractors.

First time I've ever worked for gov anywhere and find it hard to believe gov can function operating this way. Private companies I've worked for in NZ were just like working in UK, and much greater job satisfaction.

pommie bastard

Love a happy story try this.



See Australia has undertaken a comprehensive Research & Development Program to analyse the barriers, to identify the decision-making processes and to identify Australians needs and requirements for national tourism experiences. This research forms the backbone of the national holiday initiative.

The campaign will strive to change attitudes and behaviors toward holidays, by overcoming common barriers to growth in domestic tourism identified by research. These include:

Australian's have forgotten the role and value of holidays in terms of re-energising and recharging their batteries to be better able to cope with the pressures and pace of life in the 21st Century


Time poverty and changes in work culture that have resulted in Australians 'stashing' rather than taking their holiday leave


Job insecurity - research shows that many Australian's actually feel guilty about taking holidays as they think their employers will see it as a sign of weakness rather than success


Workplace downsizing and specialisation trends have meant that there are fewer colleagues to delegate to whilst on holiday. Those returning from holidays are often faced with work that has built up in their absence.

DianeOZ

Although we both only work a 37.5 hr week (ish) We leave house at 7am and get back about 5.15-5.30pm but that includes picking kids up & dropping off. It's about the same length of day as I had in Uk. Would like it to be less though.

Dinae

pommie bastard

Do you find after school care better , the schools in Perth seem to help working parents from what I can make out.

DianeOZ

My eldest goes to the YMCA after school care and he went to after care in England too but his school doesn't offer anything. It would be great if they did. I see they are on about extending the school hours and stuff. My son was having a fliddy but I told him he would probably be retired by the time it came off.

They do loads of sport and day trips in holiday care which they didn't do so much in England and although he enjoys it, he still moans about going and I get that guilty parent syndrome. I've always worked & thought when I came out here I would be a full time mum but I admit that I couldn't hack it. Now, by the time I've paid childcare and extra petrol/car costs etc I am working basically for price of the weekly shopping. Is it worth it - probably not - but I have my sanity to consider.

Thumbs up to all you full time mums out there. Then again maybe it's because I have alien children that were swapped at birth...

Diane

pommie bastard

Your posts are good to read , informative and down to Earth , keep up the good work Gal.

DianeOZ

cheers fellow Leicestershire lout!

pommie bastard

Well the best county produces the best in your case at lest , I was a test tube job.