Avanti driver shift pattern

[Gerbs]

Evening all, does anyone happen to have a Avanti Train Driver typical shift pattern?

Many thanks

 

[Efini92]

With the exception of polmadie who have a 4 day link.
You’re looking at 5 day week, Sundays outside but committed. Week of rest days every 5 weeks.

 

[Gerbs]

With the exception of polmadie who have a 4 day link.
You’re looking at 5 day week, Sundays outside but committed. Week of rest days every 5 weeks.

Great thank you. Would that be a block of say 5 early shifts, 5 lates and 5 nights or are the mixed? Thanks

 

[Efini92]

Great thank you. Would that be a block of say 5 early shifts, 5 lates and 5 nights or are the mixed? Thanks

Yeah it would be a week of earlies, week of lates and week of nights. Depending on the depot and link will depend how often nights come around.
There’s the odd occasion where you’ll do two consecutive weeks of earlies but that’s not at every depot afaik.

 

[Gerbs]

Yeah it would be a week of earlies, week of lates and week of nights. Depending on the depot and link will depend how often nights come around.
There’s the odd occasion where you’ll do two consecutive weeks of earlies but that’s not at every depot afaik.

Thank you thats helpful. Don’t suppose you know if Avanti drivers out of Euston are paid London weighting at all?

 

[Efini92]

Thank you thats helpful. Don’t suppose you know if Avanti drivers out of Euston are paid London weighting at all?

I don’t think they are. I believe the compromise is they jump from 51k to 62k, missing out the year on 57k that all the other depots have. Happy to be corrected though.

 

[Serjsk]

With the exception of polmadie who have a 4 day link.
You’re looking at 5 day week, Sundays outside but committed. Week of rest days every 5 weeks.

I understand what you mean by ‘Sundays outside…’ but what do you mean when you say they are ‘committed’?

 

[Efini92]

I understand what you mean by ‘Sundays outside…’ but what do you mean when you say they are ‘committed’?

If you have a booked Sunday and you can’t find cover you have to come in.

 

[whoosh]

Quite a few 'Spare weeks' I understand. Where there is unlimited movement (or certainly a large amount - like 12 hours). You could end up being in for a week of afternoons instead of mornings when the sheets go up.

 

[irish_rail]

If you have a booked Sunday and you can’t find cover you have to come in.

Yeah so like Christmas eve this year you would be working if rostered to, no chance of getting rid. Committed Sundays are the worst of all worlds.

 

[Dieseldriver]

Yeah so like Christmas eve this year you would be working if rostered to, no chance of getting rid. Committed Sundays are the worst of all worlds.

Out of curiosity (I work at a company where Sundays are part of the working week), would you prefer your current committed Sundays or would you prefer Sunday to be part of your four day week?

 

[Horizon22]

Out of curiosity (I work at a company where Sundays are part of the working week), would you prefer your current committed Sundays or would you prefer Sunday to be part of your four day week?

I’ll wait for @irish_rail to reply on his personal preference, but ASLEF have long wanted Sunday within the working week. However this comes with a uplift to base salary that TOCs (or the DfT) have been reticent to progress with.

 

[Efini92]

Yeah so like Christmas eve this year you would be working if rostered to, no chance of getting rid. Committed Sundays are the worst of all worlds.

Is it? I haven’t looked that far ahead yet, I hope I’ve not got a booked Sunday

Out of curiosity (I work at a company where Sundays are part of the working week), would you prefer your current committed Sundays or would you prefer Sunday to be part of your four day week?

I prefer it outside. When there’s no rdw they’re easy to get rid of.

 

[irish_rail]

Out of curiosity (I work at a company where Sundays are part of the working week), would you prefer your current committed Sundays or would you prefer Sunday to be part of your four day week?

Sunday as part of the working week would be great. Its what Aslef want and its what the majority of drivers seem to want, but unfortunately the Dft don't want it as it costs more money in terms of bigger driver numbers than the committed Sunday thing of forcing drivers to work overtime, which in my view is immoral. I am lucky as a GWR HSS driver in that I can decide now I don't fancy working Christmas eve this year (can you blame me!) . @Efini92 isn't so fortunate sadly.

 

[Horizon22]

Is it? I haven’t looked that far ahead yet, I hope I’ve not got a booked Sunday


I prefer it outside. When there’s no rdw they’re easy to get rid of.

You just book A/L as an ad-hoc day and hope it’s approved?

 

[Efini92]

You just book A/L as an ad-hoc day and hope it’s approved?

Sadly because it’s outside of the working week, you can’t book leave for it

 

[43066]

You just book A/L as an ad-hoc day and hope it’s approved?

Sadly because it’s outside of the working week, you can’t book leave for it

This is why many prefer it inside the working week. I agree with @Irish Rail - committed Sundays is the worst of all worlds.

 

[Horizon22]

Sadly because it’s outside of the working week, you can’t book leave for it

Yes I’m aware, I was referring to your statement that you prefered it outside for the booking it off option but that could be resolved with regular A/L.

For committed Sundays it really is location/role dependent - I know certain roles people go crazy for a Sunday if you give it out so you could pretty much always get it off if you wanted. But I agree, it isn’t a sustainable option and subject to significant ebbs and flows with availability.

 

[Serjsk]

If you have a booked Sunday and you can’t find cover you have to come in.

Thanks. How often do you get a booked Sunday in a typical 5 week on/1 week off cycle?

And what’s pay like for a Sunday please?

 

[class 9]

This is why many prefer it inside the working week. I agree with @Irish Rail - committed Sundays is the worst of all worlds.

Works OK at my depot, can always find someone willing to take them off your hands!

 

[NumberTen]

How are Sundays normally swapped/gained/binned?

Is there some sort of online portal/systematic way of doing it or is it a case of just asking about?

 

[choochoochoo]

How are Sundays normally swapped/gained/binned?

Is there some sort of online portal/systematic way of doing it or is it a case of just asking about?

At our depot it’s word of mouth, depot WhatsApp groups or old fashioned mess room noticeboard.

 

[class 9]

Same at my depot.

 

[Efini92]

Thanks. How often do you get a booked Sunday in a typical 5 week on/1 week off cycle?

And what’s pay like for a Sunday please?

It depends on the link and the depot. We have 12 in a 25 line link.
The pay is just normal rate, no enhancements.

 

[Gerbs]

It depends on the link and the depot. We have 12 in a 25 line link.
The pay is just normal rate, no enhancements.

Apologies, Does a 25 line link mean 25 weeks?

 

[Efini92]

Apologies, Does a 25 line link mean 25 weeks?

Yes that’s right. Each line is a weeks work.

 

[Gerbs]

When you work an overtime shift for Avanti, i believe it’s just paid at the hourly rate, do you also get a standard payment for coming in on a rest day?

 

[rhys37429]

When you work an overtime shift for Avanti, i believe it’s just paid at the hourly rate, do you also get a standard payment for coming in on a rest day?

The way I understand it is;

Sundays paid at basic time. Minimum payment is 6 hours.

Rest day work (Monday to Saturday) paid at basic time plus a booking-on enhancement.

I could be wrong.

 

[Chippychips]

I've heard that the London (Euston) timetable is a bit different to the rest also.

This is a question slightly off topic, does anyone think Avanti will become full DOO?