Brian tell them to stick the job and get a job on the railways driving trains, i work a 4 day 35 hour week which gives me friday saturday sunday monday tuesday off every 3 weeks so i can use the van and in between i get a wednesday and thursday off for a bit of midweek caravanning. on top of this i have 4 weeks annual leave plus 8 floating days that i can have off whenever i like. driving trains and caravans go hand in hand, its great. soundsto me like your company havent heard of human rights or unions.
Brian, I also used to sell cars, and got the time off that I requested. The company realised that by keeping the sales staff happy, they also kept up moral, sales, customer sales etc etc etc.
I was always in the top 3 of the sales team every month without fail, and usually took time in the middle of the month when business does dip. It still didn't stop me selling the cars, and to be honest, life is too short!
Get looking for another job, and then tell them to stick it!
Life's too short and none of us are getting any younger!!
If I were you I'd be tempted to look elsewhere for employment, there should always be a bit of give and take with regards to time off.
We've got a similarish(!!) problem. My other half has got his own business and used to work all the hours god sends, but in recent years has eased off as he realised that you don't get appreciated any extra if you work your socks off working to other people's deadlines.
The problem now is that the kid's can't get the time off of school without a good reason and a lot of grovelling to the headmaster. So while WE could have long weekends away, we need to be at home so the kids don't miss school. That just leaves major hols, and our van spends a lot of time languishing in storage.
I worked for a large international Company and yes, the money was good. As part of its PR? the Company issued a quarterly glossy magazine usually full of photographs of how employees were doing great things for the Company, and of course the obligatory BBQ's etc. However, in one issue one of the overseas districts announced the sad loss of a loyal employee. The next issue had 4 pages of 'sad losses' and by the time the next 2 issues had been done the Company announced that obituaries would no longer be accepted. What was causing the concern was that the majority of the obituaries showed 'old Bill' to have worked 40 years for the Company and then shuffled off his mortal coil after about 3 years of retirement. Not good when you are pushing working conditions.
As for me, I added it up one day and decided that give a few good breaks we could make it into retirement....just. So I quit. The number of e mails I received questioning my decision was unbelievable. Some stated they would 'have to be dragged out screaming at the age of 70+'. How sad is that? Otheres stated I would be back after 6 months... no chance. My wife is happier, my doctor has stopped having me in a red file and i enjoy life. Yes, I don't have a new BMW and my van is not the most expensive, but I live life.
Of course all talk of retirement is contrary to the dogma being put out buy the Government. They need you to work to pay their pensions.
i've taken 3 weeks off every summer for many years now. all i am supposed to have is two. what i do is to book the time at work a year in advance (sometimes more), and tell them the dates are liable to change.it also helps if you mention that you aren't asking for the time off you are telling them, and are only mentioning it out of courtesy. i've been with the same company for 12 years now so maybe that helps, but I can't see any manager prepared to argue a point for a year!
this year i managed to 'blagg' 5 weeks off! i told them i was being offered a trip of a lifetime to the place 'downunder' got away with it too! actually did a bit of a tour round europe!!!
next years holiday is already booked - 2 weeks in ********* (sorry, a secret at the mo) but in 2008??? watch this space.
seriously, brian, i refuse to let anyone dictate to me when I can or can't take time off. its YOUR time and your LIFE.
Facebook
Twitter