Large Northern Force, LNF, has just had a vote for police officers on which shift pattern they want to work. The present 6 on and 4 off liked by the majority is not an option. The only 2 options are a variation of the Ottowa pattern worked several years ago, or if that is rejected, an 8 hour option last worked many years ago, and probably never worked by a large number of present LNF members.
Why the Oooops, well the vote has gone in favour of the 8 hours option. Why, because it appears the majority have decided the Command Team in general, and the Chief, in particular, have used intimidation, gone through the motions of consultation, and generally been underhand. The 8 hour option is not what the Chief wants, will cost a fortune in overtime when officers work 12 hour shifts and will get twice as much overtime pay due to working normal 8 hour and not 10 hour shifts. Plus it will not give him the cover when he wants it, the ground swell from operational officers has been lets give him what he does not want.
So what happens now, it might sound simple, officers start on 8 hour shifts on 28 January. But in the good old ACRs there are only 10 percent officers, the other 90 are Police Staff (civilians), who are also being forced through the same shift change process, BUT, have unions arguing for them, who have involved ACAS, and who are no where near any vote.
So the ACR, unless of course the Chief backs down, will have one group of staff working a 4 shift 8 hour pattern, and one group working a 5 shift 10 hour pattern. That will be fun to manage and will not provide the cover when it is needed.
