It's only a half hour difference

For those of us who have worked in call centers for more than 5 minutes realize that your life can change in a matter of someone saying "meeting in conference room" and you see your whole department log off. These meetings can be anything from a change in hours, change in how you perform the daily job, or the department is closing and you will be moving to another department effective tomorrow.
Working call centers isn't for everyone and if you are the type of individual who has to have order and discipline in our life.........you probably ought to find something else.
Scheduling is always a challenge because usually you are not the actual client and you don't always have historical data to determine what is needed on a daily basis. This means you have to make a "educated" guess on what you need to meet the requirements of the department you are running. Now...let's throw in 50 or more reps with lives, families, dogs, children.......you get the picture. Each of us want the ideal position. I get up at "when i want to" get to work "when i feel like it" and work for all of 30 seconds....leave and collect a check for a full days pay and 80 hours. But instead we have someone saying you have to be here AND on the phones by a specific time. Then by god, you have to actually take calls without logging off 5000 times to talk to someone 3 pods over, no smoke breaks for 2 1/2 hours, what are you on drugs......You mean i can't use the bathroom???
We have a program that has EXACTLY two shifts. One is 10:00 to 6:30 and the other is 10:30 to 7:00 pm. Now, most call centers only make allowances for school schedules because we want our employees to continue their educations. On this program our most important days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and everyone was told that Saturdays are mandatory. Now in my world mandatory means EVERYONE has to work it. Can anyone out there give me a different definition where it is okay to say i want that day to be my scheduled day off?
Now, what about "I can't work till 7 pm?" Well, Ms. Rep, when you came in and filled out an application did they tell what you would be doing? Why yes, they did. Okay then how about the hours you had to be available? Yes, the nice lady in HR told me that i had to be available from 1000 till 7 each day except Sunday. Okay, I don't know what the problem is then. Can you help me understand why you could be okay then but not okay now? What has changed in your life that fits our exceptions?? Do you have a school schedule. For the uneducated in call centers, nothing changed other than it is getting to be warmer outside and this rep doesn't want to be cooped up inside that extra 1/2 or their girlfriend who works in another department gets off at that time or a variety of other reasons that you can't make an exception. Then you also get into the "I have seniority over so and so why do they get to get off earlier than me?" Again, I am thinking............come on it's a 30 minute difference. But what comes out of my mouth is: "when you filled out a preference sheet, what did you tell scheduling was more important to you, your start time or your day off". Usually they will say "day off" Well, in the unfair world of call centers, you usually get only 1//2 of what you want if you get that. So, you tell the rep to fill out another form, turn it in and it will be at least two weeks before it MIGHT change.
Now before all you jump on me over the whole "30 minute" thing. Yes, i don't have kids, or a husband, wife or any significant other begging for my time. The only commitment i have is to my dog who is in his crate turning yellow every night why his mom is at the job for 12 plus hours. So, no i can't say "i understand" the child care issues or the husband giving you fits over not being home to take care of your partner duties. It's probably why i don't have any of that...........NOT REALLY. Just ask anyone who really nows me. LOL. However, i can't believe that everyone does everything they can or reach out to all possible avenues for help either.
What happended to networking with family, friends, co-workers or even getting with managment and saying "i want my job and i need help with my responsibilities"
Most people would agree that we spend 30 minutes driving home, chatting on the cell phones, on the computer in facebook...........is that 30 minutes really going to make a difference in the 'BIG" picture of your life????