Sad News Today

[Dottie1943]

I had some very sad news overnight, a friend of my Son in Laws was on his way home from work, he is a Police Officer, after working his normal shift of 12 hours, because of a shortage of staff, he was forced to stay on duty for a further 5 hours!

He left work eventually, very tired and making his way home crossed the road close to his police station when a car did an unlawful u-turn and knocked him down and killed him!

He leaves a young wife and two small children.

Would this have happened had he not been forced to work those extra 5 hours, NO.

Why was he forced to work those hours? Because the police numbers have been cut so much there are not enough officers to cover, officers are being forced to work a twelve hour shift for 8 days on the trot and then may have their rest days cancelled and once again they are working, holidays have been cancelled at a days notice, during the riots in September one officer I know worked 16 days on the trot and eventually landed up in hospital, the officers don't want the overtime they are too tired, but the bosses are forcing it onto them, in the officers words, why have a healthy bank balance if you don't have the time to spend it!

In this young officers case he will never spend it!  THANK YOU TERESA MAY AND EVERY BODY ELSE WHO FORCE THEM TO WORK LIKE THIS!!!!!

[Hugh]

Working long hours is just to be expected in the forces, and you have to live with it. I bet our arm forces abroad  do this day in and day out and have to stay alert. Even in peace time exercises I have gone 4 days with out any sleep which stood us in good stead in the war down south when I didn't see my bed in 7 days. We just had it inturns to have a cat nap at action stations.

[Dottie1943]

Hugh

I am sure that during wars people would be willing to go that extra mile, but where is the war in this country?

To link this with troops and the war is in my opinion totally inappropriate, but it's your opinion and you are entitled to it, equally I am entitled to disagree with you.

[Hugh]

Sorry that the young oficer lost his life but all forces do get trained to stay alert for long hours. Emergency can happen at any time and working long hours will be required. The chances are this officer requested over time and wasn't forced into it.

[Dottie1943]

Hugh!!!

Please read my original post, he was FORCED to work these extra hours, I do know what I am saying here he did not want to be working he was forced to do so!!!

[Rita Postlethwaite]

Such sad news Dottie and I am surprised at your lack of empathy Hugh. This is yet another "gun" being held over the heads of workers ( it doesn`t matter what the job is) the attitude is "If you don`t like what we are forcing you to do, get another job". This doesn`t make it right!!

[Angelo]

Very sad news,  The goverment in their wisdom decided that the Police Force and others would not be subject to the European Working Time Regulations. A European Inniciative, not a British one. This sadly is the result.

[xetog]

Dottie. What a sad tale and how terrible for his grieving wife and relatives / friends, but we are at war!  We are at war with the debt created by Governments / bankers / speculators who encouraged and then left us with this sad mess. There will be thousands who die due to overwork, hypothermia, NHS neglect etc and yet they will receive no recognition for their sacrifice.  But make no mistake, we are all in the front line this time.
M.

[Papaumau]

I am so sad for your heartache Dottie. That should never have happened !

I have fought hard and long for those that are FORCED to work hours that they shouldn't as everybody needs to be rested properly if they are to be able to do their job and to have some enjoyment in life. ( I was an active union delegate in the Civil Service for many of my twenty-two years service ).

I know that many volunteer for extra hours when they are asked and in these cases the onus then falls on the person that has volunteered for these extra hours. Sometimes this is just greed for extra money and sometimes it is just a fact that their wages are not high enough to live on. ( This is another subject altogether ).

One of the worst offenders in this situation has been the NHS as because of constant staffing cuts in this sector there are just not nearly enough junior doctors and nurses available to fill the required posts. Once again this is mainly not the fault of the individual workers as they are often unable to get out of this situation.

Recently there was a  change made in the law whereby junior doctors were not forced to work over a certain number of hours but even this new law is now being cast aside in order to fill the vacant posts that are required to offer the minimum level of care needed in many departments.

I am sure we will never know how many people died as a result of overworked doctors and surgeons and yes, even nurses who had too much to do and too little hours to do it in.