Very true... I freaked out recently, when my 14 year old, OD'd on her Mobile phone... instead of getting monthly bill for about 100 bucks for our two mobiles, she managed to spend about 100 bucks extra. (223 for the month).. well a freind of hers is now totally without a Mobile having notched up 500 bucks worth in a month... Her mum is a single mother too.

My Daughter just has to put up with no outward calls for about two months until the average monthly pro-rata bill comes back into play, she spent the two months already as far as I'm concerned.

Just in case others reading wonder why I let my 14 yo have a mobile, she travels to and from school in another suburb on her own via tram, so mostly its a safety device.

Opps the thread is about 38 hours a week... 73.5 hour fortnight at the post office.... Sunday Night shift is 10pm - 7.15am Mon - Thursday is 11.30pm till 7.00 am.... half an hour break every night... plus two 15 min mini breaks. There is usually about 3-5 hours overtime per week at non holiday times... more like 15-20 hours OT at Xmas and Easter.

Truck Driving - 70 hours! Steer clear!

Where are these 38 hour a week jobs for professionals?? When I worked in Melbourne the "standard" hours were 45 or 42, and it was expected to work much more than that! This is in IT Finance and IT Government Consulting.

I worked 38 hours a week in my admin job, it worked out at 7.6 per day - 8 hours at work with 20 min for lunch, or 8.5 with 50 minutes. I filled out a timesheet though so was lucky in that they were pretty flexible. If we were busy one day then I stayed late, but if I had everything sorted later in the week then I would clear off at 3. Pretty cushty really!


(And now I just work casual hours from home, fill out my timesheet, bob's your aunty's brother! )

My official hours are 37.25 per week, but I haven't worked that little in years, nor have most of my colleagues. We claim time off in lieu for some, but I don't think anyone claims everything they are owed. It's almost expected that you will work longer hours.

I did extra hours too, averaged around 40 a week. I didn't mind, as when I needed to arrive late or leave early it went without saying that I would be doing it - just told people, didn't ask permission unless it was a whole morning or afternoon. And even then, manager never said no. Landed on my feet really with that job!

South Melbourne. I work in IT and also do 37.5 hrs a week but for a while I struggled to do 35 as my wife always persuaded me to leave early, and my manager likes me to get home to that ''young family'' of yours.

It helps of course that he has 2 young girls too.

I had a boss like that once, a right rogue he was, always rushing home.

One of the best things about engineering is that you get paid for every hour you do. 40, 45 , 50 hours it doesn't matter, we get paid for every minute.

That's how it should be! None of this freebie time malarky.
I think any one regularly doing overtime should record it all over a month and show their boss. Either they're not working efficiently or they have too much to do. Whichever it is, it is up to the boss to support them - training to work more effectively, support from colleagues - or a big fat payrise! I know some managers can be really difficult to deal with, but I think if anyone is working excessive hours for 'low' pay (ie that does not reflect work done) then they should raise it with their boss and if they get no support then start looking around.

Work for money not loyalty.
If you want loyalty, get a dog!

Too right!! I'm not a professional volunteer. If they want my efforts, they will pay me for them. If they don't pay, I don't work! Simple as.

Spoken like a true Unionist Well done

I'l love to know which was the first industry to make working unpaid time the norm... I suspect it was the retail. I cannot recall anyone working unpaid hours in the 70's...

Yeap, same here for us......

North Melbourne; also in I.T.
I guess salary comes into it too...