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Southern swing schedule
The southern swing is a 28-day rotation of 8-hour shifts for four crews: 7 day shifts, 2 off, 7 evenings, 2 off, 7 nights and 3 off. Each day one crew is on days, one on evenings and one on nights, while the fourth is off. It rotates forward, from days to evenings to nights.
By Asier Fernández ·
Southern swing at a glance
- Cycle
- 28 days
- Shift length
- 8 hours
- Hours a week
- 42
- Hours a year
- 2,190
- Most shifts in a row
- 7
- Longest break
- 3 days
Hours and weekends
Each crew works 21 shifts every 28 days: 168 hours, 42 a week on average and about 2,190 a year. In 2027 one crew works 273 shifts: 91 days, 91 evenings and 91 nights. Full weekends off are rare, 0 to 13, depending on the weekday your cycle starts, because the breaks are only two or three days.
Seven 8-hour shifts in a row is 56 hours if they fall in one workweek; with a Monday workweek the cycle gives about 104 to 208 federal overtime hours a year depending on where the employer starts the week (29 CFR 778.105).
Pros and cons
Pros
- 8-hour shifts are shorter than 12s.
- Forward rotation: days, then evenings, then nights.
- Everyone shares the night shifts.
Cons
- Seven shifts in a row.
- Only two or three days off between blocks.
- You work about 273 days a year, against about 182 on 12-hour schedules.
Alternatives
Plants moving away from the southern swing often switch to 12-hour schedules with four crews, such as the Pitman or DuPont, which keep the 42-hour average with fewer working days. See 1st, 2nd and 3rd shift hours and swing shift. Choose “Southern swing” in the shift calendar to get your year, with every crew, holidays and a file for your phone.
More guides
Figures are worked out from each cycle; rules checked against official sources on . How we calculate
Questions
What is a southern swing schedule?
A 28-day rotation of 8-hour shifts for four crews: 7 days, 2 off, 7 evenings, 2 off, 7 nights, 3 off.
How many hours is a southern swing?
168 hours every 28 days, an average of 42 a week and about 2,190 a year.
What is an 8-hour southern swing shift?
Each 8-hour shift is a day, evening or night shift, such as 7 to 3, 3 to 11 and 11 to 7, and each crew works seven of each in turn.
How many days off do you get on a southern swing?
7 days off every 28: two breaks of 2 days and one of 3.
Is the southern swing a good schedule?
It keeps shifts to 8 hours and rotates forward, but has 7-shift runs and short breaks, with few full weekends off.