Really fed up with work and trying to get holidays

[Lizzy Lemon]

DH is a postman and I am a hospital domestic working weekend evening shift.
Life has tootled along nicely but just in the last 3 or 4 years getting our holidays sorted out has become a nightmare. I can't book Bank Holidays off so Easter (Good Friday) for me is a no no. DH can't have Xmas off (very busy post wise) leaving some half terms and the summer (in which every other postman with school age children wants). Plus next August (2007) is fully booked up at the hospital where I work (only 3 domestics off at any one time!) as DH can't put in for his holidays until late Nov/early Dec then its about another month before his boss can sort it out we won't know for definite until after Xmas when his 2007 holiday entitlement will be. Next year will not be so bad with going to WDW in October (already told employers about this and because its a one-off for a special occasion they said it should be OK if we're flexible with the other holidays - in other words you can't have any more weeks that you specifically want). Its future years, the children have still got quite a few years more at school, Ashley at least 5, Glen has only 3 more but plans on staying on or going to college its going to be the same situation. Just feel so downhearted as I really want to visit WDW again some time in the future but God knows how we'll fit it in as well as trying to grap a week here and there in this country. Looks like I'll be handing my notice in before long and looking for another job somewhere else. I know I'm only a domestic but the hours fit in beautifully with being available for the children in holidays and events at school especially meetings about Ashley's special needs and its a job I enjoy doing so I really don't want to leave but I can't understand why its getting more difficult to get these holidays, we never used to have a problem. Trouble is I got this job in the first place because money was tight, now we've got a bit in the bank I'm loath to return to having to worry everytime a bill lands on the mat. Oooooooh, I'm really fed up. Sorry to whinge.

 

[fizz13]

Whinge away, we all need to do it sometimes and I've found this is a great place to get support and vent I can understand your frustration, can't imagine having to tie in two schedules to everything, especially as your employer seems so awkard to start with. Hope you can get this sorted (I definately understand about needing to get back to WDW )

 

[mark&sue]

I feel the same. I have become obsessed with holidays and count down until my DD leaves school in four years time.

There are only three of us in our team at work and the three of us are women with school age children.

We are DVC members and have just bought a holiday home in Spain but know we can't use them propertly until DD leaves school!!!

I truly know how you feel and hope that things will sort themselves out in due course.


Susan

 

[Cyrano]

We've been lucky so far but as the troops get older see ourselves facing the same dilema.
Hope you can work it out

 

[mandymouse]

Oh No, I hope you manage to work something out

 

[jen_uk]

Hope you work it out. At least you have next years WDW holiday to look forward to!!

 

[arieljasmine]

Hope you manage to sort something out, Wendy, that sounds very difficult. You need your holiday fix to look forward to!

ArielJasmine

 

[Disney owl]

As someone who likes to know her hols are booked well in advance I know how you feel. But have you considered booking last minute? You may save some pennies too

 

[CharleyUK]

I understand how you feel. I have stuggled to get my holidays booked in this year. If you add up the amount of hours holiday per week we are allowed in our department there are not enought for the year to allow everyone to get there full entitilement- it just doesn't make sense. I book all my annual leave for the full year ahead so i get to take it all. The problem is if you need a last minute day off for an appointment - this happen a few weeks ago when my boiler broke. I shouldn't moan because i get a fare amount of time compared to others.

Hope you sort it out without having to change from a job you enjoy

 

[Minniespal]

Hope you manage to sort something out Wendy

 

[ariel75]

Do you work term time?
I have the same problem kind off i've booked for jan but i get the school holidays off (didn't when i started working).Which means i have to tell them that after my christmas time off i'll work for 2 weeks and then i'm off to wdw for 2 weeks then i'll be back for 2 weeks then it's the feb holidays!!!eeek i'm going to offer to take my holiday as unpaid time off to sweeten them up a bit see if that works.

 

[Lizzy Lemon]

Couple of years ago during the middle of our two weeks away I couldn't get the middle Friday off (just that one day!!!) offered to take it unpaid but my boss said 'we still have to cover the area you work in unpaid or not so no you cannot have it unpaid'.Joined the union when I got told that, I'd got visions of my boss getting stroppy in the future and wanted some clout behind me. The Royal Mail has now told employees they will be rang up and visited at home when off work sick just to make sure they are not tanning themselves in Spain. Don't want to wish my life away but I'll be glad when I'm like my inlaws - retired, home a couple of weeks and then away again.

 

[ariel75]

Couple of years ago during the middle of our two weeks away I couldn't get the middle Friday off (just that one day!!!) offered to take it unpaid but my boss said 'we still have to cover the area you work in unpaid or not so no you cannot have it unpaid'.Joined the union when I got told that, I'd got visions of my boss getting stroppy in the future and wanted some clout behind me. The Royal Mail has now told employees they will be rang up and visited at home when off work sick just to make sure they are not tanning themselves in Spain. Don't want to wish my life away but I'll be glad when I'm like my inlaws - retired, home a couple of weeks and then away again.

can't believe you work for such a miserable company i would not have believed it until i watched(this is really gonna sound sad now) kim and aggie checking out the hospital (can't remember where it was) and it's cleanliness.
One poor woman had to do the whole of a&e dept on her own. When kim (see told you i was sad) approached the manager of the cleaning firm he said there was plenty off staff such a tight **** he should have tried doing the job himself. Makes me wonder if he's your boss!
Quite surprised with the royal mail for their approach to sickness i know you always get a few who are always on the sick but for the genuine ones i find it disgusting.
Big companys can make you so disposable now if i was you i think i would change jobs.
I work for a cleaning firm and i am based at a doctors surgery like i said in my last post i never had the holidays off when i took the job on but after a year i told them i didn't think i could continue due to the childcare but they told me that i could have cover so i suppose i am a bit naughty for booking my holiday when i did but the prices are against me for the holiday.Looks like i'm gonna have to suck up for the next few months!!!!!!
Good luck i hope something good comes up for you soon and enjoy your next trip

 

[Lizzy Lemon]

I work 3 and half hours per night Friday, Saturday (paid time and half) Sunday (double pay) that's why I stick it out!.I have to clean 2 - 30+ bed surgical wards, collect,wash,dry and refill and distribute about 40 - 50 water jugs (depending how many patients are on the wards) and remove meals from reheating ovens, and on a Sunday night clean these ovens which have spills that have been baked on over the week! I only spot check areas, if they don't need cleaning I don't do them, but the domestics who work before me often don't come upto the standards I would expect, so usually run round like a headless chicken trying to do what they have left, and we are also going through assessment procedures at the moment for Agenda for Change pay increments, which means taking almost an hour for various lectures. If I could get another job that pays this sort of money for 10 1/2 hours work I'd go for it.

 

[ariel75]

At the end of the day it's the money that counts!!!! Sounds like an awful lot of work keep smiling and just think of your trip to london and your anniversary next year wow 25 years you do work hard!!congratulations