Hotel Workers..

tupac10

I work i a popular hotel in the north west.. as a Night porter and bar staff.. i was just wondering is there any other hotel workers that work crazy hours like me.. i've had 70/80 hour weeks for the last few weeks now... does anyone else agree that its crazy.. or is all hotels like this..?

Einhard

tupac10 wrote: »

I work i a popular hotel in the north west.. as a Night porter and bar staff.. i was just wondering is there any other hotel workers that work crazy hours like me.. i've had 70/80 hour weeks for the last few weeks now... does anyone else agree that its crazy.. or is all hotels like this..?

If you have time to post, then they're not working you hard enough.

ytareh

Getting paid by the hour I hope?!Overtime?

orourkeda

get back to work

SoupyNorman

Yeah I worked in a hotel in Galway for two years to fund college, during the wedding season we were hosting 6 to 7 weddings a week, theres was no let up.

The week of the Galway races one year I worked close to 100 hours, one shift started at 4pm and ended at 9am the following day.

Dont let the above fool you, it was a brilliant experience. I drank just as much as the customers except my beer was free!

Most hotel work is soul destroying.

Yeah, I've worked in several hotels. It's a hard job alright. It pretty much becomes your life. I used to have either split shifts, or back to backs, finishing at midnight one night and back at 7 the next day (meaning up at 5). Quit the last one when the manager snapped at me for making a minor mistake with adding something up, and when I said I was wrecked, he told me to get more sleep. :eek: Eh, the maximum possible for me was about 4 hours!

Kasabian

My brother has worked in a hotel for the last 15 years , each day I watch a piece of him die. :mad::(

The exploitation that goes on in hotels is an embaressment to this country. Not so bad for him as he will stand up for himself and knows his rights but from the stories he tells me about temporary and foreign employees , it is disgusting.

Biggins

Many years ago I used to work split-shifts in a hotel.
One of the worst things ever. Split-shifts are a joke and should be done away with.
* You in, your out, your in, your out, bed... back to work... day in and out...

In the end it cost me one marriage. Seriously. We became like ships passing in the night.
On top of that, the hours were longer beyond the official clocking in/out time.
You just couldn't down tools at the exact moment you were supposed to go - most of the time there was no one coming to fill in for you so the work while your away, builds up even more so.
So when you come back, your forced ("do it or you lose your job!" was quoted to me many a time) to stay till everything is done - way beyond your official finishing times more often than not.

When I left the role I was in while on split-shifts, I swore I would never go back to them no matter what the wage - they are just not worth it.
For the sake of long term health, wealth and happiness in marriage and life, I would recommend folk avoid jobs with split-shifts like the plague.

...And yes, the exploitation of staff in this country in the entertainment/hotel/bar industry is rampant and disgusting! Been there and seen it for myself many a sad time.

JohnDee

Worked for nine months myself in a hotel during a year while a student, as porter/barman. Long hours,awkward split shifts,crappy pay and never got paid extras due for hauling bags to rooms (duty managers took it).

Funny enough at the time I didn't mind at all,wasn't too demanding and got free food.

Looking back on it though there was a whole lot of exploitation going on.

Duty managers were the worst though....numpties :mad:

.DarDarBinks

When people tell me that the hotel industry is getting hit hard in the rescession, I laugh.

mikemac

Yep, did night porter/bar staff all through college. It's not the worst job, that would be kitchen porter where you deal with bullying chefs and it's dirty, dreary work.

Leave college Friday evening, 2 hour bus trip down the country and straight into work, finish at 9am next morning.
Did 15 hours Saturday and 9 hours Sunday. Sleep? What sleep

With this cash and my college grant I lived quite well in college

Did night porter for a few months after college, no graduate jobs so this did me for a while.
Did 23 nights in a row once, crazy!
But never did split shifts, they are the worst hours around!
Yep, tour companies paid a porter fee for carrying the bags to the bus. I did it on my own and the manager pocketed the money.

Galway races was mad, was a barman at the track then into another hotel for night porter, easily over 100 hours that week but it was great craic.

shampon

Night Porter is one of the most demoralizing jobs ever. FACT.

Did it for two years before going back to college. Here's an example of what I and others in the bars had to put up with on more than one occasion.

I was assaulted three times
I had piss thrown over me
Glasses and bottles thrown at me
I had to put some lad's had back together after he was battered outside the hotel
I had to lift said lad of the jax and three o clock in the morning, while he was in the nip and bleeding preferably. **** still woul'dnt go to the hospital.
I had to work 25 nights in a row on more then one occasion
Got called in pissed on New Years Eve
Got called in while riding my mot. On Valentines Day
Had more **** thrown at me by management for allowing guests to act the way they did.
Was told I was taking a 15% pay cut, Two less days a week, and then they wanted me for the knacker wedding the next night...
at that said knacker wedding I was spat on, grabbed, screamed at and broke up as many fights as I did collect glasses.
I got placed on the front gate to stop an army of rival knackers from coming down and shooting up the wedding and the hotel
Got a disciplinary for taking back to the clown management who took the booking for the wedding.
Got racially abused, and called polish for no good reason, I'm Irish.
Had to clean up ****e from a carpet in the lobby.
Have seen countless hairy ape allegations against every male guest in the hotel- It's a terrible thing when it's genuine and should be punished by severe time in Jail, I hate rapists, but all the hairy apes I had the dubious pleasure of working when they occurred were all fake. It's a pain in the arse the whole floor is closed off.
Had to evacuate the building three times, not so much as a thanks and well done.
Seen my workload treble in the space of two months because of layoffs, I was doing Kitchen Porter/Chef/Security Guard/Cleaner/Barman/Caddy/Salesman/Receptionist all the the same time. Head-melting

An after all this...

Some people in the bar staff were having a fag and a gargle after work in the bar, manager comes in the next morning claiming she wanted names or it was going on me...I quit immediately after she said that. Turns out one member of the barstaff ratted them all out for points...he's now a duty manager.

and on that note

I did have some great times, but when it was ****, boy it was ****.

wmpdd3

Looks like Tupak10 is still at work!!

Hotels in Ireland are a law onto themselves, ever heard of a day of action for hotel employees?

I worked in a hotel for 5 years between 1992 and 1997. I was 13 when I started. I was asked by someone in 5th year could I waitress for a wedding that night for £8. Said yes. Ended up working about 3 functions a week for the 1st year, then 3 functions and a few shifts in the restaurant. In the end I had a go at nearly every job in the place, chamber maid, night reception, wine waiter, porter, room service food preparing and bar person.

Never had any bother getting paid even though I didn't have a RSI no. Just go and lobby Kay in accounts with your list of times worked, for you pay at the end of the week.

In all the time I worked there the only thing I every ate were the profiteroles I was supposed to be filling with cream when the chief was on the missing list and ice-cream wafers. Wouldn't chance anything else.

Saw more dangerous liaisons between staff than an episode of Dynasty!

Never once called in sick, once got sent home because there was an expector in from Bord Failte.

Often did split shift 'BLD' Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: 05:30 - 09-30 / 12:00 - 2:30 / 18:00 - 10:00. Often 10 days in a row.

It was so much hassle getting paid for the hours you did work you didn't have the energy to fight for the 'overtime'.

And this was and is a very well run hotel!

tupac10

ya just in from 18 hour shift.. got feck all sleep last night.. there must be some law against it... i've worked in this hotel on/off for 3 years but only in the last few months full time.. and i know what the abuse is like.. me and another FEMALE member of staff where assaulted last week at a wedding.. the abuse does nothin for your self esteem..and after 24 nights in a row can severely depress you but at the same time the owners are very nice people and all the staff are like a family to me.. and we do have fun..

EDIT: and biggins, this job has also ended a relationship for me just last night

shampon

tupac10 wrote: »

and biggins, this job has also ended a relationship for me just last night

Does put alot of pressure on the old relationship alright...but im sure their is an abundance of nice girls you work with...and plenty of rooms...;)

mickman

tupac10 wrote: »

ya just in from 18 hour shift.. got feck all sleep last night.. there must be some law against it... i've worked in this hotel on/off for 3 years but only in the last few months full time.. and i know what the abuse is like.. me and another FEMALE member of staff where assaulted last week at a wedding.. the abuse does nothin for your self esteem..and after 24 nights in a row can severely depress you but at the same time the owners are very nice people and all the staff are like a family to me.. and we do have fun..

EDIT: and biggins, this job has also ended a relationship for me just last night

18 hour shift, id be fairly sure thats illegal. hotels are getting a bit of increased business but not taking on anyone until they think the recovery is firm (which its not) so existing workers will be worked harder. lucky you to have a job ,im also lucky but there are thousdands that dont

shampon

mickman wrote: »

18 hour shift, id be fairly sure thats illegal. hotels are getting a bit of increased business but not taking on anyone until they think the recovery is firm (which its not) so existing workers will be worked harder. lucky you to have a job ,im also lucky but there are thousdands that dont

They'll work you to the grave. I know of one lad that is actually being worked to death...literally.

tupac10

shampon wrote: »

Does put alot of pressure on the old relationship alright...but im sure their is an abundance of nice girls you work with...and plenty of rooms...;)

ya theres a few nice girls indeed, finally get a chance to try out the rooms whats the legality of having sex at work with co-workers! hahaha

shampon

tupac10 wrote: »

ya theres a few nice girls indeed, finally get a chance to try out the rooms whats the legality of having sex at work with co-workers! hahaha

Just ride the judge and you'll be grand.

dan1895

mickman wrote: »

18 hour shift, id be fairly sure thats illegal. hotels are getting a bit of increased business but not taking on anyone until they think the recovery is firm (which its not) so existing workers will be worked harder. lucky you to have a job ,im also lucky but there are thousdands that dont

So because there isn't as many jobs as a few years ago its ok to exploit staff?

Recession or not I won't work illegal shifts, split shifts or free overtime. then again i'm lucky I don't work in hospitality.

tupac10

There has to be alaw against split-shifts? there horrible.. as for fre overtime.. **** that.. i sign off at the time i leave the hotel, regardless of what time im suppose to be out for..


EDIT : a fellow worker was at a wedding in our hotel, he was quiet drunk and ended up another guest hit him, Now he didnt hit anyone and from what i seen he was not in the wrong at all.. but came into work today to find out he was fired for it.. Can anyone see the justice in this?

dan1895

dan1895 wrote: »

So because there isn't as many jobs as a few years ago its ok to exploit staff?

Recession or not I won't work illegal shifts, split shifts or free overtime. then again i'm lucky I don't work in hospitality.

That's really just how it is in hospitality. I have no idea why anyone would go into it as a career or study it in college. I did enjoy some aspects of it (never a dull day, meeting people all the time, the social life if the other staff are sound) but I'd never do it forever.

tupac10 wrote: »

There has to be alaw against split-shifts? there horrible.. as for fre overtime.. **** that.. i sign off at the time i leave the hotel, regardless of what time im suppose to be out for..

No law. It's just really inconvenient for the employee. There is a law against back-to-back shifts, but hardly anyone sticks to it. I used to get 8 hours off between shifts in the States (think 8 hours is illegal in Ireland), so theoretically I'd be off 11pm-7am, but obviously by the time I'd changed and got home it was after 12, then I usually needed a snack, so I was getting to bed after 12.30, then I had to be up at 5.30 to catch the 6am train to be in work for 6.45 in time to grab a coffee, change and get up to the front desk for 6.55 for shift handover. Absolutely awful.

mikemac

I often remember clearing up the ballroom after wedding.
Place was sparking when I finished :cool:
But it would be 3:30am or 4am.

And then the boss tells you are covering morning shift, see you at 9am.
Minimum rest periods in the hotel industry?
You're told to be there at 9am if you want to keep your job

Actually you wouldn't be fired, they'd slash your hours to maybe 5 or 10 a week and wait for you to quit.

RATM

Did hotel work full time for 3 years in 1998-2001. Split shifts were absolutely horrible, had to do 10am to 6pm ( a full 8 hour day in anyones books ) and then come back for 9pm to 'close', whatever that was, residents bars, pissed wedding sing-songs, nightclub bars and so on.

Looking back I had some good times but the exploitation was horrible and rarely was thanks ever given.
I was glad to discover the pub game for a few years then, found the customers much sounder too. Worked in a nice little union shop in Dublin 2, no splits, every 2nd Sunday a paid day off and overtime payments on anything beyond 12pm (we were usually out by 12.30 as the pub had cleaners in every morning=)

It was bliss in comparison to hotel work but after another 4 years of it I knew I had to get out of the barman game. Too many late nights spent drinking talking ****e with other barmen and it becomes a souless job with little room for improvement or personal development after a short while.

Glad to be out of it now for sure, its a young lads game but I'd advise all to avoid or at least get out and do something using your brain proper rather than the same repetitive crap day in day out for little thanks.

tupac10

RATM wrote: »

Did hotel work full time for 3 years in 1998-2001. Split shifts were absolutely horrible, had to do 10am to 6pm ( a full 8 hour day in anyones books ) and then come back for 9pm to 'close', whatever that was, residents bars, pissed wedding sing-songs, nightclub bars and so on.

Looking back I had some good times but the exploitation was horrible and rarely was thanks ever given.
I was glad to discover the pub game for a few years then, found the customers much sounder too. Worked in a nice little union shop in Dublin 2, no splits, every 2nd Sunday a paid day off and overtime payments on anything beyond 12pm (we were usually out by 12.30 as the pub had cleaners in every morning=)

It was bliss in comparison to hotel work but after another 4 years of it I knew I had to get out of the barman game. Too many late nights spent drinking talking ****e with other barmen and it becomes a souless job with little room for improvement or personal development after a short while.

Glad to be out of it now for sure, its a young lads game but I'd advise all to avoid or at least get out and do something using your brain proper rather than the same repetitive crap day in day out for little thanks.

i 100% agree , bar work can get horrible.. im 22 being working in local pubs since i was 13.. aswell as the hotel i work in a night club and work in another local pub.. its a souless, thankless job.. fair enough you do have a lot of fun but im working none stop in bars late night .**** all sleep not eatting right and drinkin after work just to help you sleep is a very bad habbit to get into..

saol alainn

In many cases, being a hotel employee could be one of the best jobs going. But in many, it's hell. I worked in hotels when younger, and I can only think of a couple of places where I was happy and looked forward to going in to work. 15/16 hours, with the occasional 15 minute break, were not unheard of. While I had worked several hours a week back then, isn't there a european working time directive these days? Where you cannot be made to work more than, I think, 48 hours a week and you must have an 11 hour rest period in any 24 hours? When my husband was working full-time as a delivery driver, he couldn't be given more hours than that (averaging over a few weeks), and the 11 hours was strictly imposed, or the gardai would have had a lot to say about it.

Why can't the same be said for hotels? Maybe one wouldn't mind working more than 48 hours, but not virtually back-to-back shifts. And certainly not when you're unable to have a proper rest.

mikemac

Indeed there is a working time directive
And it's probably kept to for full time staff with regular hours like receptionists or porters.
Managers work insane hours though and expect everyone else on minimum wage to follow their example.

But then you have your part-time staff.
And since they are mostly young they can do these 16 hour shifts.
3pm to Close is a common shift. Close might be 12:30am when the bar closes or it could be 5am as the wedding party trashed the ballroom and the lobby is wrecked too

But these staff are controlled by the roster.
If you fall out with a manager or insist on your rest periods, you won't be fired. Hotels are not that stupid.

They'll slash your hours to maybe 5 hours a week at stupid times.
Nobody can work for 5 hours a week.
Question it and you'll be told it's quiet and there are many staff and the roster is fair. Yet the new hires get more hours then you :mad:
Eventually you quit to get proper hours somewhere else

wmpdd3

saol alainn wrote: »

In many cases, being a hotel employee could be one of the best jobs going. But in many, it's hell. I worked in hotels when younger, and I can only think of a couple of places where I was happy and looked forward to going in to work. 15/16 hours, with the occasional 15 minute break, were not unheard of. While I had worked several hours a week back then, isn't there a european working time directive these days? Where you cannot be made to work more than, I think, 48 hours a week and you must have an 11 hour rest period in any 24 hours? When my husband was working full-time as a delivery driver, he couldn't be given more hours than that (averaging over a few weeks), and the 11 hours was strictly imposed, or the gardai would have had a lot to say about it.

Why can't the same be said for hotels? Maybe one wouldn't mind working more than 48 hours, but not virtually back-to-back shifts. And certainly not when you're unable to have a proper rest.

Yes it here:

http://www.employmentrights.ie/en/media/Workingtimeact.pdf

But I,ve spent most of my working life breaking that law!

RATM

tupac10 wrote: »

i 100% agree , bar work can get horrible.. im 22 being working in local pubs since i was 13.. aswell as the hotel i work in a night club and work in another local pub.. its a souless, thankless job.. fair enough you do have a lot of fun but im working none stop in bars late night .**** all sleep not eatting right and drinkin after work just to help you sleep is a very bad habbit to get into..

Yeah I was the same, started working at 13yrs of age in my Granny's pub, then after school went working full time in a hotel in Drogheda. I thought it was the bees knees at the time, 18 yrs of age behind a hotel bar talking to people way older than me. What I didn't realise was what we were talking about was general 'pub talk' and sh1te

The thing I never get about hospitality jobs is that everyone knows good staff make a huge difference to the cash turnover and success of a pub/hotel. You can have the best chef in the world but if the service is crap people won't return. And yet you'd think hotels would recognise this as its good for business. But instead they just walk all over their good staff until they up sticks and go somewhere else.

Tupac10, it took me till 26 years of age to realise that its not a 'career', its a job and a crap one at that. And the amount of colleagues Ive had who had split marriages/breakups becasue of the job is frightening. I'd advise you to get out at the first available opportunity and do something that challenges your brain. I know its not easy when you've got a pay packet every week but I quit it and went to uni as a mature student. I've just finished my Masters now and although I'm unemployed atm I'm glad that when I do get into a job my working life will consist of Mon-Fri 9-5 with all evenings and weekends off. Get out while you can coz man before you know it you'll be the Bar Manager who is making the employee's life hell with crap hours and abuse !!!

tupac10

best part about work.. Finding your brother and your girlfriend in cubical together...

wmpdd3

O well....... sorry to hear that.

mikemac

At the end of the night, cleaning the gents is a breeze.
Yeah, there is a bit of a mess and probably some vomit but nothing a veteran night porter hasn't seen before, we can deal with it:cool:

As for the ladies toilets :eek::eek::eek:
I soon came to the conclusion there are few ladies in Ireland, this was no dump, a 3* hotel.
Bloody tampons on the floor, vomit and then me wondering how is it possible to deposit ahem on the floor.

I'm certain any of the hotel workers on this thread would back me up that the ladies were in a far worse state then the gents come closing time.

Bullying is rife, low wages are expected, lol at minimum rest periods and European Working time directive and customers look down at you.
Yeah, I'd stay on the dole before going back again,alright as a job through college but certainly not a career unless you love it and a sucker for punishment