Mr Ranga,
I think you missed my point. I wasnt suggesting that operators have demanded undying loyalty for unreasonable pay by any means. Merely that many I have encountered are more interested in extremely specific hours on a piece of paper, over and above a good track record of being loyal to previous employers and a promise to continue the trend.
As for these hours they requested, they werent mitigated by contracts, or insurance, merely, in their own words, that they liked people to have those hours.
I did have a laugh when I saw them advertising again not that long afterwards tho. Maybe they got someone with those hours that then found greener pastures?