OK so I start working for this gas station/truck stop/restaurant over 12 months ago. In the interview I let the manager know I'd only like to work 4 days a week but I don't mind 5 days since it's close to Christmas, I'll help him out [big mistake]. So I'm hired as a console operator/costumer service plus barista that could possibly cook, if needed. I can cook but I just never had legitimate references before.
Any-who, the first week I did console/barista. Second week I did kitchen duties. It's clear I can cook and can handle the pressure of such a busy place. It's easy to have 8 dockets and one cook on duty. I could be cooking 4x special ordered hamburgers, a steak dinner with mushroom gravy, a chicken dinner, a grilled fish and poached eggs all at the same time. While also maintaining the hot Bain-Marie with fried food. It's a busy place. At the end of my second week I'm asked if I can work the dinner shift in the kitchen, I accept.
So I work over Xmas/new years, at least 5 days a week through until July, when I finally cracked. No week is ever the same. This is an example of what I call my roller-coaster roster. Month one is:
Week 1: Wed/ Off/ Off/ Sat/ Sun/ Mon/ Tue
Week 2: Wed/ Off/ Fri/ Sat/ Sun/ Off/ Tue
Pay
Week 3: Off/ Off/ Off/ Sat/ Sun/ Mon/ Tue
Week 4: Wed/ Off/ Fri/ Sat/ Sun/ Mon/ Tue
Pay
The next month is:
Week 1: Off/ Thu/ Fri/ Sat/ Sun/ Mon/ Off
Week 2: Wed/ Off/ Fri/ Sat/ Sun/ Mon/ Off
Pay
Week 3: Wed/ Thu/ Fri/ Sat/ Sun/ Off/ Off
Week 4: Wed/ Thu/ Fri/ Off/ Off/ Mon/ Tue
Pay
This is an actual sample from a two month period. I've done 3 fortnights that included a period where I worked 10 out of 11 days [month one: week 3 & 4]. They were pure hell. I practically lived at this place. And no month/week was ever the same.
I must admit at least my hours are at the same time of day. Some cooks that work there will finish at 9pm only to have to be back at 8am. Also, not many cooks can handle the dinner time rush. They either don't want to do it, after a few shifts or they outright refuse that time slot. Since I've been there I've seen at least 8 cooks quit. They currently have a console operator, with NO kitchen experience, working the grave-yard shift. Poor girl, I feel sorry for her.
So yeah, help me figure out if my Manager is on a power trip with his roller-coaster rosters or is he just plain stupid?
Important note: I'm a casual worker, some permanent staff have permanent times/shifts but not all of them. Also some casuals have permanent times/shifts [I call these casuals “the old guard” because they have been there the longest and the manager seems to favor them].
Also important: Manager is just a site manager. He has nothing to do with the kitchen, except for profits/loss'. The kitchen manager doesn't do rosters.
TL:DR: Manager has remarkable skill for making roller-coaster rosters. Is he being manipulative or is he just plain stupid, given the sites high turn over of cooks?