– The carrot is ten days off. It works, says Finn Rikard Johansen. When he does not have ten days off, Johansen is a shift worker at the Eramet smelter in Sauda. The twelve-hour shifts are the heaviest, but he enjoys the job. – I will be a shift worker until I retire. For another 15 years, he smiles. SHIFT WORKER: Finn Rikard Johansen. Photo: Johan Mihle Laugaland / news A little further southwest in Rogaland, Kari Bergo works on a rotating basis at Stavanger University Hospital (SUS). – It is of course hard, at least when you have a family. I understand that there are more people who cannot make it in the long run, says the nurse. Because even though both have full-time positions, Bergo works three weeks more than Johansen every year. Now the Nurses’ Association wants equality. What is the difference between shift and rotation? Shift arrangements are used by companies that have the same staffing needs throughout the day, such as at a smelter, for example. Rotation is used when the need for labor varies throughout the day, and you have different types of shifts. As, for example, in a hospital, where the staffing needs during the day are greatest. Source: Arbeidsliv.no Fewer sick people with shorter weeks – Our main message is: Treat shift and rotation workers equally, says Gunn Elin Rossland, enterprise union representative in the Norwegian Nurses Association. The proposal from the union comes in what they describe as a crisis in Norwegian hospitals. Sickness absence among nurses is far too high, and many leave their profession. – I think it is wrong and discriminatory. All research shows that working in rotation, that you work three different shifts during a week, is much more taxing than what a shift worker traditionally does. They may have one type of shift per week. In addition, we see a healthcare system that is on its knees, says Rossland. CHANGE REQUIRED: Gunn Elin Rossland believes that the rotation and shift worker should work the same number of hours. Photo: Odd Rune Kyllingstad / news She believes that a change will bring great benefits. – I think it will lead to more people wanting to be in a full-time position, longer at work and that one might be able to reduce sickness absence, she says. Change in the law has had limited effect On 1 January 2010, a new provision was introduced in the Working Environment Act on working hours for employees who work three-part shifts. The purpose was to increase equality between shift and shift workers, and that the weekly working hours should be reduced based on the workload in the shift system. During January, the research foundation Fafo will release a report in which they have evaluated how well the new provision has worked. There they conclude, among other things, that the change has had a positive effect for those who work in shifts. But it is limited. Among other things, the analyzes of rotation arrangements in the hospitals show that most have a relatively low reduction in weekly working hours of between 0.6 and 0.8 hours, says the report to which news has gained access. The differences between shifts and rotations are still large. Research leader Kristin Alsos at Fafo. Photo: Fafo – It has to do with how much they work at night and on Sundays. Shifts in industry often work more hours at night and on Sundays than nurses, says research leader Kristin Alsos at Fafo. Working less and losing pension Malin Bjelland also works as a nurse at SUS. She wants fewer working hours. – Of course you get tired and less alert. It would have been better to work less, then we might have been able to reduce sick leave. It would have been a win-win for everyone, she says. COLLEAGUES: Kari Bergo (left) and Malin Bjelland. Photo: Odd Rune Kyllingstad / news Rossland sees that many nurses are reducing the number of hours themselves. – Many nurses are reducing their positions because they cannot manage a full-time job. This means that many will be losers on the day they retire.
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Every year, the shift worker works three weeks more than the shift worker – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
