Cliff Bastow Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 Ray, The third engineer eliminated himself as he decided it was too far to travel as he is already traveling 35 min to our current location and it would be another 40 mins on top of that. I will accept it in the short term and look for something nearer home without as Erflog points out having to look desperate. Its always easier to get work when you are in work from my experience. Perhaps iI have not explained the shifts properly. We will be working 4 days on 4 days off. One week 6.30 to 7 and the next week 9 till 9. Not really looking forward to that one! No progress on the York as yet. I have been going through my fleet, doing some repairs and tidying things up with a view to selling off some of my little flown airframes and spare equipment. Like many of us I suspect I have far to many airframes and only seem to fly the same 6 or 7 regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Cliff, a prospective employer is more likely to take on someone already employed than one off the dole. I wish you all good fortune in whatever you decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Crook Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Indeed. The last 20 years I worked involved a 45 minute drive at each end of the day, and many travelled further than me, but that was a five day, 37 hour week so not so bad only doing an 8 hour (including lunch half hour) day. Best to give it a go, I'd say, and get a bit more into your pension pot. You are starting at the grimmest time of year for travelling, it won't seem so bad in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 Well you could not make this up! I accepted the position at the other location and have been traveling there for the past two weeks. not ideal but it is a job in the current climate. Well wed I got told I was to go back to old location until the end of Nov, It appears the firm that was taking over the contract and has been slowly taking over production for the last 6 weeks has suddenly decided they do not have enough staff and cannot cope with the workload until they recruit new staff but they cannot do this for 28 days as they have made people redundant too. All a bit strange to me, how did it get to this state of affairs i ask? Next week we have to rapidly refit all the machinery we have been de-commissioning and staff are being brought back temporarily. It suits me as much less traveling but what a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Posted by Cliff Bastow on 30/10/2020 19:55:42: All a bit strange to me, how did it get to this state of affairs i ask? Management targets no doubt... A few years ago our higher management decided to target staff reduction in my part of the business and conducted an "interview for your own job" exercise. They identified three individuals from my office as surplus to requirements and put them into a redeployment group. Two of them were found jobs immediately. Middle/higher managers rubbed their hands with having achieved their targets/bonuses. A couple of months later, things started going pear shaped with too much work coming in. The two with new permanent jobs wanted no part of going back but they did retrieve the other one from the redeployment group. Two more individuals were hastily recruited and it took a couple of years to bring them fully up to speed in what was a fairly specialised area. I was fairly lucky in that my own role was not targetted (although the perceived threat was always present) but I actually felt a form of survivor guilt in not being put through the horrible process which caused so much stress in my team. Edited By Martin Harris on 30/10/2020 20:36:09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Good news Cliff, Most of the big companies we freelance for are very good at laying off key staff because the management don't actually know how the business they try to run functions !! We come in to fill the gap they created at twice the price, reorganisation cuts should start at the top of the tree as they are the most expensive 😮, Any progress with the York ?? Good luck 👍 Regards Ray Edited By Ray Wood 4 on 30/10/2020 21:00:36 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I have always felt that employers would really like to have people that they could just switch off and store in a locker until needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Hi Peter, That's why there are fewer staff in WH Smiths these days but lots of diy machines to take your money, they have switched off their employees and switched on machines !! Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted October 31, 2020 Author Share Posted October 31, 2020 Well its a temporary reprieve but every little helps, its one month less of traveling. I just cant see how management allowed this to happen. surely the subcontractor should have realized this before now or someone in our organization should have checked better before signing contracts. Does not do anything to restore my faith in British management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Peter. Generally I would agree with you, but there are some companies who actually do care about their staff. My biggest staff problem was replacing people retiring after working for us for over 30 years ! Mind you, you never saw a Ferrari parked outside reception (except a customers). Cliff. Maybe someone in management decided to stop listening to the accountants. It used to be that employers used to employ accountants. These days it seems the other way round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 When companies I worked for did that sort of 're-organisation' I used to find it stressful trying to figure out what they thought they were doing - stressful because you can't do anything about it - so in the end my mantra became "keep taking the money just keep taking the money". The company my son works for now is doing a re-organisation and he's stressing quite badly about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 It is easy to denigrate accountants, as it is as easy to suggest that Engineers should never run a company. There is a perception it will end in tears with Engineers in charge, and that with accountants only the bottom line matters. In reality there are many companies that are and have been run by Engineers and just as many companies destroyed by accountants. One Salesperson managed to destroy BMC and Leyland trucks. All disciplines are not immune to failure and many do achieve success. There are not many companies that manage to remain as they were after even 10 years, even if the name exists the business often does not. Change seems to be inevitable in business as in life, even with success, there comes change. I think that for much of my working life, redundancy was always just around the corner. the suggestion seemingly a management tool. That was even during periods of growth. Restructuring a means to keep the Hamsters running faster in their wheels, to stay where they were. Often new blood is brought in at higher levels, be it pay or position, to avoid increasing salaries to the existing work force, promotions on the basis of controlling staff roll over. On that basis getting your own job back is good news, even when posted as temporary, as this could well be a permanent arrangement. Remember management do not like a satisfied work force, there must be some angst, to keep the Hamster running, if you are enjoying your job to much, that must of necessity be changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted November 21, 2020 Author Share Posted November 21, 2020 Just a quick update to everyone. After many knock backs and rejections I have been lucky enough to secure a post with a local firm that is actually nearer than my old employer! so with great glee I have been able to say thanks for the offer at other location but no thanks I will take redundancy. Because they delayed the end till 27 of this month I have now been here 2 years and as such will be due a small redundancy payment plus a months notice pay so that is good. So my new job is nearer home, better pay and better shifts with every other weekend off! At present I only get 2 weekends off in every 8 weeks, So all in all its all worked out very well but I cannot deny its been a stressful time. Maybe now I can get back to the York and other projects. I would like to thank all for there encouragement and kind words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Good for you -That is just the best feeling when you can do that! I hope your old mob suffer the consequenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Having been made redundant many times over the years I know exactly how you feel Cliff, and I’m really pleased that it’s turned out good in the end. Onwards and upwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Great news Cliff! The new job sounds like the best of all worlds. It did appear that you were getting really messed around by the old company. Not having a long commute should really shorten the working day. Getting more of your weekends back will also make you feel a bit more human, instead of just a cog in some big machine. Is the job close enough that you could cycle in when the weather cooperates? A bit of fresh air and exercise can really boost one's general well-being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted November 21, 2020 Author Share Posted November 21, 2020 HI Robin, Yes I could probably cycle in about ten minutes. I might well do so in the warmer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Good news Cliff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Hi Cliff, That is brilliant news, every cloud will now have an Avro York flying through it Well done, having been furloughed for 3 month's I now know I don't want to retire either !! Quite a bonus more building & flying Time Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Hayward Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Hi Cliff, Nice one. I'm really glad to hear things worked out well for you. I hope the York gets finished, its a nice subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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