I really could care less what an employee does after he clocks out. On or off property.
But hearing over and over and over about 12 hour shifts, worn out employees, etc., etc., is the ultimate face slap to the tax paying public. Our nation is currently built on 8 hour work days because that's how long your mind and body can function as a unit before fatigue sets in. Any excuse working beyond 8 hours a shift puts the public at risk, creates employee restlessness and a higher then usual "attitude" problems in the course of their job.
I sure wouldn't want to have to rely on anyones 11th hours mind set for assistance in an emergency, including & especially medical personal currently working 24 hour shifts.
really depends on age, fitness, type of job,etc.
tell a Ranger he can't work more than 8 hours straight.
(or most in the private sector) the 8 hr "rule" is as antiquated (in most jobs save for OTR truckers,pilots,etc) as unions are.
I agree, but it's a fact of life in the dispatching business. Governmental officials fail to realize that it's a skills job. They see dispatchers sitting at computer terminals and assume it's secretarial work. They then proceed to set salaries accordingly. As a result, the turnover's huge, and most dispatch centers consist of a lot of half-skilled trainees, and the few people who'll put up with the crappy work conditions because they really care. The consequence is that the "really care's" end up double and triple shifting. This is common all over the country.
Those who want to see this problem addressed need to go do a "ride along" in a communications center, then go demand that their local council members or supervisors do the same thing. If we can collectively pry the 'policy makers' loose from their ignorance and get dispatchers compensated properly, then there's a chance to get enough quality people on the job to fix the situation.
Before going off half-baked on the 12 hour shifts, you may want to also know the days of work per week.
Many manufacturing companies are going to 3x 12 + 1x 8 or 4x 12 rather than the 'traditional' 5x 8.
There have been reputable work environmet studies that show that rotating 5x 8 means that you body never adjusts to any time slot and that a 12 hour shift with or without shift changing allows more rested workers