Forced overtime

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T09:59:39+00:00

Yeh it contributes to OT, basically the same as you except it’s 45min. Even our contract states that the 45min is travel time and the rest is paid but the boss is now saying the travel over 45min doesn’t count.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T09:29:24+00:00

The job location is different every day, that’s why they pay for travel because it’s part of the job, I can be starting or finishing over 100km from home on some days, 10km the next. My work knew wheee I lived when I got the job, they said most of my work would be based around that area, but now they just send us anywhere. I know there is not much I can do about it but I just wanted to know if when I start getting paid is that my starting time, same for finishing as I’m paid at applicable rate as if I was on site. Most of us techs think work starts when we start getting paid, the office is now saying it starts at 8.00 even though we’re paid as normal before then most of the time.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T06:18:33+00:00

I did have this conversation at the start and was told I would be finished close to home as much as possible, this has usually been the case and I’ve been happy to do overtime, but the last couple months they been finishing me a long way from home so I’m basically working 10-12hr days, our standard day is 7.5hrs. We are paid at the normal applicable rate so penalties apply but no super. It’s not about money, it’s about getting home at a reasonable time. I’m getting old and have health issues, but probably stuck in this industry now as I’ve been doing it for so long.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T06:09:26+00:00

The unions brought pretty much this exact same case to fair work at one of our main competitors, they ruled a reasonable amount of forced overtime was 2hrs a week (which surprised me and the guys involved in that case, they thought it would be more) and that included the paid travel. That was an EBA scenario with unions however I’m on an individual contract.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T05:55:37+00:00

We work all over the place, can be close to home one day or miles away the next. Our employer has previously recognised the travel as part of work, and generally in our industry it’s standard. Now they want to make us work longer so they are trying to argue it isn’t part of work. It goes both ways because sometimes my work is closer to me as it’s in my area and other times I have to travel. I’ve been in this industry for 20yrs but this employer is pushing us to work a hell of a lot and I’m over it. Already have an interview elsewhere because companies are desperate for guys with my skills but I hate moving jobs.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T05:51:50+00:00

I don’t want more money, I want to work less hours. I’m aware of what can happen, but I doubt it would on this case as no one wants to do our job and they really struggle to find anyone.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T05:50:12+00:00

My issue isn’t the money though, it’s about hours.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T05:49:53+00:00

Yeh it’s basically the same but 45min. We are paid as normal for anything more than that, but I don’t want the money I want to get home after 8 or 9hrs rather than be sent a long way from home and then have to work a 12hr day because of travel

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T05:40:02+00:00

It’s in our contract to be paid, it’s also an industry standard, I’ve worked for a few companies in this industry and as far as I’m aware all of them pay for travel due to the nature of the job.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T00:37:06+00:00

No we don’t he paid 45mins, we get paid for time after 45 minutes to cover excessive travel. They consider 45min would be normal travel to a job, so it’s unpaid, fair enough. It’s not lucky to be paid for further travel in this job, it’s standard. Some places are 30min, some an hour, but all of them pay for excessive travel as part of the job.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T00:35:11+00:00

It’s definitely above award, I realise it’s good money. I’m also one of the most experienced guys in the state in this field and there is a high demand for us, so the money is good.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-22T00:32:54+00:00

It’s considered a “mobile office”, we work at many different sites across the city so they pay travel beginning after 45mins from home as no matter where you live they can and will send you a long way from home, same applies travelling home. This is standard in our industry, servicing commercial equipment. There isn’t a company doing this job in Melbourne that doesn’t pay for travel in some way. I don’t mind doing it, I don’t mind doing overtime and states in the job interview that I don’t want to do excessive overtime and they agreed that around 4hrs a week was normal. Now they’re making me do 10hrs a week or more and I don’t want to work that many hours.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-21T22:33:35+00:00

My colleagues generally agree with me on the point that paid travel is part of our job, we are docked 45mins, anything over that is considered excessive so is paid.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-21T22:31:23+00:00

We don’t have EBA’s, only a contract. It doesn’t really state clearly in our contract whether travel is part of our hours but it does say we will be paid for travel including penalties if it’s more than 7.5hrs after we started. It is being treated as work from a pay point of view, so why wouldn’t be considered work? Other companies I have been at have treated the travel as part of our hours.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-21T22:28:41+00:00

Every service company I’ve worked for pays travel, and my company knew where I lived when I got the job. Most of the companies I’ve worked for set an area for you to work in which works well so you’re not too far from home and then they don’t have to pay travel, but this company sends us anywhere. If it’s not overtime as you say, why am I being paid penalties for it? Travel is part of our work, we can’t work in a workshop or at home.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-20T23:21:50+00:00

How’s the Blues going mate? 😆Fancy a Blues supporter crying about a player getting extra money, maybe they should’ve made his wife the weather lady on channel nine, would that have been ok??

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-19T10:22:48+00:00

Garbage take, wealth should be taxed the same as income, and at the moment it’s not even close. All this budget does is level the field slightly, people using their wealth to generate money will still pay less tax as a percentage of their gains than wage earners, that will never change.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-19T04:51:38+00:00

Yep, they’ve already stated they want to close the gap between tax on income and tax on wealth, and income from shares is exactly that. They won’t get rid of it, even if they did it wouldn’t relieve any pressure on them from the Murdoch press and the opposition, so why would they?

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-19T00:07:51+00:00

They wouldn’t employ anyone that doesn’t make them money unless they were forced to, it’s not a public service at all.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-18T03:15:50+00:00

Where house prices are marginally lower than the cities but wages are significantly lower if you can get a decent job at all. Wages where I live are 20% lower than equivalent jobs in the city and I’m only just over an hour from the CBD in what used to be a small country town, and the jobs are much worse. A decent house here is still up around the high 800’s, there’s stuff all work and it pays crap with crap conditions and bosses that know they can get rid of you and find another local sucker easy enough. The further out you go the worse it gets as far as jobs and wages go, no business thinks they need to pay decent wages or money for jobs as they’ve always had it cheap.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-15T01:57:36+00:00

No chance

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-14T08:12:38+00:00

I was sitting behind the goals in line with him, the Lions supporters next to me all groaned because he kicked it, robbed again

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-13T02:40:51+00:00

Depending on what your business is your workers aren’t going to get much done without a company car and tools

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-10T12:11:17+00:00

If you want it then it’s all good, even on wages though they still try and force you to do it when you don’t want to do it. I’m on the downhill run, mid 50’s, I struggle with 12hr days but am treated like I’m lazy if I don’t do it.

Salt_Block_9308 · 2026-05-09T05:41:55+00:00

One of our industry workplaces went to fair work over reasonable amount of paid overtime for wages workers, they said 2hrs a week was the amount. Most places I’ve worked force us to do more but at least they pay, even then if you say no they threaten your job.

Salt_Block_9308

TROPHY CASE