hi mums
My husband works for a small company. I have a couple of young kids. One being a newborn.
My husband has always been working locally and home everynight which suits us fine because he sees our kids and we refuse to be a mining fifo family by choice.
My husbands work has started to be out of town. Half the employees to go out four - five days a week and the rest are in town.
Since they don't have much in town, he's been forced to go out. Lately it's been a bit much and my husband recently asked if he could be more flexible and work for himself one week and the other week go out. We were originally fine with it every now and then but now it's every week and he's home Friday and Saturday which isn't fair because he has a life and outside work commitments too and he doesn't get any extra money going out there or a mining wage. I always said well you should just go to the mines and earn double and be home more anyways!!
His boss agreed but now the other boss who has a newborn has given him the cold shoulder and doesn't reply to his messages and silent treatment. Same with his wife who I became pretty good friends with.
The bosses and him were also pretty close outside of work so now it's really disappointing to see them all Angry at us for wanting to change. We never signed up for out of town full time and they did ask him last year where he wanted to work.
I know business is business but now we are losing friendships over it. I don't understand how they can start hating us and the wives aren't even speaking to me.
I feel like my husband quitting before they fall out even more. He used to love his work and was happy and now the pressure and all of this has been him sleepless and makes me feel like I'm wrong for wanting my family together.
Help?
3 Replies
Ok, the bosses are probably feeling under a hell of a lot of pressure at the moment. You can bet they don't like the situation either but are having to make really tough choices to keep the business alive AND keep there employees in work and paid. Sometimes they have to make tough choices and your hubby won't be the only one complaining. So maybe have a look at the reality of the situation from both sides. If your husband doesn't like his working conditions then maybe it's time for him to look for other work. But asking for a change in work conditions that just isn't possible (they will have to put more people out for longer if he gets to change) is going to make the bosses distance themselves so they don't have to feel more guilt and stress than they already do.
i agree with the first comment, it really does suck though. maybe the out of town work will only be for a short time and it might be best to put up with it for the sake of his job until more work in town comes up. or, he can start looking around for more work. you are definatly not alone though, almost everone in mining are feeling the downturn and alot of people simply arent getting work so therefore arent getting money.
if hubby was good friends with his bosses, is there anyway he could set up an informal meet with them (eg, a game of golf, fishing etc-whatever they like to do) and have a honest chat to clear the air and hopefully have some resolutions?
As an owner of a small business with staff sometimes we need to make really hard decisions, for the befit of the business and staff. I find ppl sometimes forget that bosses have hearts too.