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FIFO info :-)


jo and scott

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A lot of FIFO workers in Perth. It can be quite isolating for the partner working at home especially without a support network, I know friends who have FIFO partners have to consult the diary of when they're home/work in order to socialise (especially if they have kids and no baby sitters ... then they don't want to arrange when the partner is home because they want to spend time with them) - so it can be a bit of a balancing act.

 

The work away partner sometimes finds it hard to adjust and can feel like they're visiting their own family at times - but these are things that many people do overcome.

 

Has your other half got a job offer in the mines?

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A lot of FIFO workers in Perth. It can be quite isolating for the partner working at home especially without a support network, I know friends who have FIFO partners have to consult the diary of when they're home/work in order to socialise (especially if they have kids and no baby sitters ... then they don't want to arrange when the partner is home because they want to spend time with them) - so it can be a bit of a balancing act.

 

The work away partner sometimes finds it hard to adjust and can feel like they're visiting their own family at times - but these are things that many people do overcome.

 

Has your other half got a job offer in the mines?

 

thanks ali,

 

I would imagine the evenings would be the hardest, once the kiddlies are in bed. ive googled fifo families and there is a web page, so I will join that once we are nearer to emigrating. we wont be out there for a while, feels quite far out of reach a the mo.

 

scott hasn't had a job offer, but a friend works there and has said he will help scott with a job once we are out there :-)

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thanks ali,

 

I would imagine the evenings would be the hardest, once the kiddlies are in bed. ive googled fifo families and there is a web page, so I will join that once we are nearer to emigrating. we wont be out there for a while, feels quite far out of reach a the mo.

 

scott hasn't had a job offer, but a friend works there and has said he will help scott with a job once we are out there :-)

 

That's good that he'll have a job to come to. I think you're right I'd probably find the evening the worst .. but then you'll still have PP - so won't be totally on your own lol

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Some things you need to be aware of.

 

Mining is currently in a downturn, so jobs are hard to find in mining. I am not sure when you are coming out, but hopefully things will pick up in a year or so.

 

FIFO is hard and I do not recommend it for new arrivals. Far better to try and get a local job for a while until you get settled in.

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I have to say that I watch very little TV at all, although I didn't watch much in the UK either.

 

 

ive never watched lots of tv, however, since living with scotts mum ive watched so much of it, some of its quite good, but I feel overwhelmed with all this tv watching lol !!

 

scott is a telly addict ! he had to have a big 50 inch tv with all the surround sound, I prefer to have music on in the background :-)

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I have to agree with stormy fifo life is very hard for both. Although it maybe easier for you to meet people as you have children. Yes the money is good but it come with at big price also. My hubby came home Tuesday after a night shift spent 3 hours at A+E in Rockingham as he had grit in his eyes since the previous Friday - not bad enough to be flown back although no flights on the weekend - so either way he was buggered - total hours awake 28. Limited medic support on site. He came home went to bed and slept for 17 hrs so day one of leave was a wash out. Yesterday he felt he had a hangover. Presently still in bed although its only 8.15am. Cant see this week as being a good week as his eyes are now scratched .............................. yes he does wear safety goggles while in work this happened in the car park before he actually got onto site to work. Happy days

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Don't rely on fifo, there are far more experienced people in the labour market than positions available, as a consequence site allowances (pay uplifts) are being diminished and rosters far less family friendly , commonly 3 on 1 off for white collar and 4 on 1 off for blue collar. When the money and rosters were good it was at least justifiable, it really shouldn't be first choice for a family person, it is very disruptive and destructive to family life.

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I have to agree with stormy fifo life is very hard for both. Although it maybe easier for you to meet people as you have children. Yes the money is good but it come with at big price also. My hubby came home Tuesday after a night shift spent 3 hours at A+E in Rockingham as he had grit in his eyes since the previous Friday - not bad enough to be flown back although no flights on the weekend - so either way he was buggered - total hours awake 28. Limited medic support on site. He came home went to bed and slept for 17 hrs so day one of leave was a wash out. Yesterday he felt he had a hangover. Presently still in bed although its only 8.15am. Cant see this week as being a good week as his eyes are now scratched .............................. yes he does wear safety goggles while in work this happened in the car park before he actually got onto site to work. Happy days

 

These are the bits that you don't get to hear about!

 

I hope your husband is better soon Eflie. Such a shame for his week off with you to be spent like that. Hope your week improves.

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thanks for all of your replies :-)

 

its good to hear all of your opinions and appreciate them all. we know its going to be hard, we hardly see scott now with the job he does at the mo, he works for a truck company fixing the trucks, and an extra bit that he does week on week off, is breakdown recovery, he gets call outs at all sorts of times and its a complete pain, he works 6 days a week with just the sunday off, but if hes on call on that sunday we cannot go anywhere as a family incase he gets a call and has to shoot off somewhere, looking forward to the week off when he does fifo or whatever the times are, not sure yet, the guy we know that does it does 8 on 6 off.

 

the most annoying bit about the job he does now is, hes 5 mins from home / about to have dinner / about to go to bed and the phone rings !!!!!!

 

hope your hubby is better soon elfie. xxx

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Do not rely on or make the assumption that he will get into mining. It was hard for new people to get in during the middle of the boom. Also, remember that the diesel mechanics on a mine are usually required to have experience of working with specific trucks - large mining haul trucks. As said, there are a number of us who work in mining - I am a manager in mining. The have been thousands of staff laid off in the last 12 months so every job is being chased by lots of experienced guys. Mines will always take someone with mine experience over someone with no mine experience even if they are less qualified.So, your husband is going to have to prove to a manager that he is a better candidate than the blokes who are applying with experience of the equipment and have mine experience. As others have mentioned, pay and rosters are also, as a result moving in the wrong direction. My biggest contractor has recently told all staff that they will be getting a 10% pay cut and that rosters will be moved from 2:1 to 3:1. I am seeing this across the industry at the moment. In some areas pay is down over 25%.

thanks for all of your replies :-) its good to hear all of your opinions and appreciate them all. we know its going to be hard, we hardly see scott now with the job he does at the mo, he works for a truck company fixing the trucks, and an extra bit that he does week on week off, is breakdown recovery, he gets call outs at all sorts of times and its a complete pain, he works 6 days a week with just the sunday off, but if hes on call on that sunday we cannot go anywhere as a family incase he gets a call and has to shoot off somewhere, looking forward to the week off when he does fifo or whatever the times are, not sure yet, the guy we know that does it does 8 on 6 off. the most annoying bit about the job he does now is, hes 5 mins from home / about to have dinner / about to go to bed and the phone rings !!!!!!hope your hubby is better soon elfie. xxx
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Guest guest10912
thanks for all of your replies :-)

 

its good to hear all of your opinions and appreciate them all. we know its going to be hard, we hardly see scott now with the job he does at the mo, he works for a truck company fixing the trucks, and an extra bit that he does week on week off, is breakdown recovery, he gets call outs at all sorts of times and its a complete pain, he works 6 days a week with just the sunday off, but if hes on call on that sunday we cannot go anywhere as a family incase he gets a call and has to shoot off somewhere, looking forward to the week off when he does fifo or whatever the times are, not sure yet, the guy we know that does it does 8 on 6 off.

 

the most annoying bit about the job he does now is, hes 5 mins from home / about to have dinner / about to go to bed and the phone rings !!!!!!

 

hope your hubby is better soon elfie. xxx

 

If you find the current situation a pain, why are you looking to make it even worse? I haven't seen anyone ever comment that FIFO has been good for family life. Sounds like you don't have anything lined up anyway, maybe he should just look around for a local job when you get here.

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Do not rely on or make the assumption that he will get into mining. It was hard for new people to get in during the middle of the boom. Also, remember that the diesel mechanics on a mine are usually required to have experience of working with specific trucks - large mining haul trucks. As said, there are a number of us who work in mining - I am a manager in mining. The have been thousands of staff laid off in the last 12 months so every job is being chased by lots of experienced guys. Mines will always take someone with mine experience over someone with no mine experience even if they are less qualified.So, your husband is going to have to prove to a manager that he is a better candidate than the blokes who are applying with experience of the equipment and have mine experience. As others have mentioned, pay and rosters are also, as a result moving in the wrong direction. My biggest contractor has recently told all staff that they will be getting a 10% pay cut and that rosters will be moved from 2:1 to 3:1. I am seeing this across the industry at the moment. In some areas pay is down over 25%.

 

hi verystormy,

 

thanks for this information, really appreciate it :-)

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If you find the current situation a pain, why are you looking to make it even worse? I haven't seen anyone ever comment that FIFO has been good for family life. Sounds like you don't have anything lined up anyway, maybe he should just look around for a local job when you get here.

 

thankyou for your reply Rupert.

 

I don't feel we are making our situation worse, scott may well end up getting a local job, he quite fancies doing heavy haulage, its still 12 - 18 months away for us yet, so we will see nearer the time.

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