Ok DU, I've been given permission by my station Captain to post on this site,

[hfojvt]

89. the main trouble is trying to staff 24/7

Wal-mart does it with a whole slew of part-timers.

One factory where I worked as a temp, did it with 4 shifts.

That was kind of a screwy system, IMO. The A shift would work four twelve hour days 6 am to 6 pm and B shift would work four twelve hour nights. 6 pm to 6 am. Then C shift would work the next four twelve hour days and D shift would work the next four twelve hour nights.

So far so good.

Then the switch.

The next four twelve hour days would be worked by B shift and the nights would be worked by A shift. And back and forth. Working days and then working nights. Kinda tough having to change your sleep patterns like that.

Many factories just close for two days of the week. In my first factory job, 3rd shift actually started the week, coming in at 11 pm Sunday night and working until 7 am Monday morning. Then 1st shift from 7 to 3 and 2nd shift from 3 to 11. Then the factory is closed from 11 pm Friday until 11 pm Sunday.

Or, if things are busy, an overtime shift could be required for Saturday.

So, without some funky 12 hour or 24 hour shifts, how do you cover 24/7? Just have people "on call" during their time off?