Am I Being Unreasonable?

[Baconbonce]

Brief overview...

I drive around the country in my own car (company opt out) installing computer systems for a living. I don't have to carry any kit around with me as it's all delivered to site for when I arrive (or at least it's meant to be ).

While I've been on holiday over Christmas, I've been stupid enough to check my work email and have found that I've been booked in for 4 days a week for 5 weeks away from home. The job - to drive around the country in a transit van to 15 different locations to run a "show". The locations I am aware of currently are...

Week 1 - Cornwall, Devon and Somerset (all in 2 days)
Week 2 - Cardiff & Southampton
Week 3 - Norwich & Maidstone
Week 4 - Leeds & Newcastle
Week 5 - Gawd knows! (But there's only 9 of 15 venues listed above)!

To perform these "shows" (I don't know what they actually are at the moment), I need to carry around with me a load of kit including 2x280Kg HP multi-function printers, a load of PC's and a couple of servers.

My arguments are:

1. I'm not a van or delivery driver and don't feel comfortable having to drive these sorts of distances in a transit (I've not driven a van before). All venues (apart from Leeds) are over 3 hours away from home (by car - van, gawd knows an extra hour?)

2. The timescales are unrealistic - Cornwall, Devon & Somerset in the first couple of days of the first week (including unpacking & boxing up all the kit on my own and somehow shifting those printers - which are the size of a small shed)

3. Being away from home for 5 weeks without any compensation or bonus

4. Health & Safety issues surely

So, am I being unreasonable to refuse the work? What sort of problems could I expect from refusing the work?

There's nothing in my contract of employment about van driving/delivery of equipment and I've never been expected to do it before in 14 years. By the end of 5 weeks, I think I'll probably drop.

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers
Paul

>>> Edited by Baconbonce on Saturday 1st January 13:16

[Wacky Racer]

Suggest you voice your concerns strongly to your boss, but regarding driving a transit type van around, there should not be any problem there, most are very easy to get along with and comfortable these days............

[agent006]

I would suggest to your manager that they arrange to get the kit delivered to each venue then you rock up and plug it all together and do your stuff. If this is the first you've heard of the job then i'd be a bit narked off that they didn't ask if it was something you'd be happy doing.

[simpo two]

Sounds kinda fun. The Transit is no big deal; I've driven a Luton before on exhibition duty, full of rattling teacups!

But how are you supposed to lift 2 x 280kg servers? There's an issue there I think.

[Baconbonce]

Thanks for the replies. Going to speak to the powers that be when I go back to work on tuesday.

Think it's a bit unfair that they have dropped all this on me without discussion while I have been away.

Definately going to mention the printers - 280Kg thats got to be fork life territory surely.

Cheers
Paul

[Frik]

Baconbonce said:

Thanks for the replies. Going to speak to the powers that be when I go back to work on tuesday. Think it's a bit unfair that they have dropped all this on me without discussion while I have been away. Definately going to mention the printers - 280Kg thats got to be fork life territory surely. Cheers Paul

Well as H&S say you can only lift 25kg each then probably...

Driving a modern panel van is as easy (and on long journeys as fun) as a car. However doing so many miles in such a short time might not be.

Maybe it would be worth working out exactly what this would entail (time spent driving/setting up etc) and then comparing this with say a BSI standard 8 hour shift to see just how much piss they are taking.

[shirepro]

With these distances over extended periods are your working days going to be extended? Not sure what your contract says about the EU working time directive but when I am driving between events it can add 2, 3 or more hours to an already extended day and push me over the WTD limits. Odd days , perhaps a week are no problem but 5 weeks? Might be something to look into and keep up your sleeve, although I am not sure whether a finite 5 week period is covered by WTD.

[vixpy1]

The being away bit is something I can to expect from the industry when i worked in it. Our engineers were away for upto 5 days at a time, for 10 weeks straight.

With thre weights involved however, they cannot expect you to do it alone.

[njp]

Wow. Im impressed that you have worked in IT for that long and never had to spend prolonged periods of time away from home. You are very very lucky imho. I work in the IT and exhibition industry and spend the vast majority of my (working) life away from home and mostly overseas. I grant you a large percentage of that is by choice and not force.
The weight factor is NOT unfeasable on your own as long as you have a van with a tail lift and a pallet truck, or printers on wheels. This sort of job is very common for a lot of companies and it doesnt sound to me like they are expecting too much of you. If this is something you have never done before and are unwilling to then object to it with your boss but otherwise welcome to the road!!!! Its a whole lot of fun!!!!