Employer and employee

[DEREKG22]

I've worked for the same outfit for 8 years...im very good at what I do...before this 8 year stent with my employer I did the same job for another company equally as well...and prior to that, the same....im definitely one of the most experienced guys on my crew....my question is....

When its time for me to use my paid time off, I have to get it approved through my foreman....i can't just call and say "hey I'd like to take the day off to go fishing today cause mother nature finally allowed the seas to flatten out briefly"...if we are busy at work ill get flak real quick...i feel like i am being punished for being good at what i do....in fact in our busy season we get told flat out- no time off will be approved...and we all understand and live with it...but when some other guys who aren't near as depended on or less experienced fake sickness it doesn't seem to be an issue... i guess as I'm getting older I'm finally developing a problem with this....i know some will say its good job security, but if my employer gives me x amount of days a year to use, I feel like I should be able to use them when I want...not when things slow to a crawl and they try and persuade me to....i can easily avoid all this by faking an illness and calling in sick, but quite frankly, it bothers me that I should have 2 ...i always go above and beyond my duties and kinda feel like my employer should understand that... and when I wanna burn a day in the woods or on the water, they outta realize no matter what the current workload that my time is my time and at least respect the fact that I'm honest and not faking all kinda b.s. excuses just 2 live life...they are well aware that outside of work- the woods and water is all I'm about... and aside from being a good dad and husband its what I live for and its what makes me happy...at the end of the day I know if I was to have to be gone for something critical like a surgery or a funeral then they would just deal with it....they would have 2...so whats the **** differance?..should I just execpt the fact that because I'm not in management or some corporate role and because I have a wrench in my hand instead of a keyboard that I'm forever penalized for being a skilled craftsman with a trade?..am I in the wrong here?........end of rant....

[TX CHICKEN]

Yes,you are wrong.

[Big Lee]

You can work for 50 years. Be loyal. Retire or fall over dead. They'll replace you tomorrow. Enjoy life and dictate your own work-life balance.

[12RingKing]

You work for them, and it’s their rules.

Play the game or find another job.

I hear your frustrations, however, every company that employs tradesmen have a busy time (outage, shutdowns, construction, etc.). They have schedules to meet and looming deadlines. Why would you think you’ve earned the right to “go fishing” when they need you the most?

Again, I understand your frustration. There are all different levels of worker and you sound like a good one. You want to be treated a certain way you feel you have earned. Take a closer look at your relationship with your employer. Maybe you already get special treatment and just aren’t seeing it.

[tps7742]

You work for them, and it’s their rules.

Play the game or find another job.

I hear your frustrations, however, every company that employs tradesmen have a busy time (outage, shutdowns, construction, etc.). They have schedules to meet and looming deadlines. Why would you think you’ve earned the right to “go fishing” when they need you the most?

Again, I understand your frustration. There are all different levels of worker and you sound like a good one. You want to be treated a certain way you feel you have earned. Take a closer look at your relationship with your employer. Maybe you already get special treatment and just aren’t seeing it.

This,,,,,

[steven]

You can work for 50 years. Be loyal. Retire or fall over dead. They'll replace you tomorrow. Enjoy life and dictate your own work-life balance.

100% agree although I'd be willing to bet the majority here don't.

[db@100]

If you having someone remodel your kitchen. He tells you he will be finished in a week. In the middle of the job he calls you and says he is taking off to go fishing, how would you feel. He has your kitchen all apart and your wife wants it finished and you contractor goes fishing.

[deerplanter]

Stop being the worker and start being the boss, that what I did. They have schedules to keep and you are part of that schedule.

[Texas8point]

regardless where you work when the company is busy you're gonna have to be there.

[Mexico]

I,I,I,I,Me,Me,Me,Me.... look at your whole paragraph... you are self centered and thinking only about yourself. And usually when someone brags about how good they are at what they do.... seems those are usually the first ones looking for a job.

[Rick]

You may not be as valuable as you think you are, they have a business to run, it does not revolve around any one person

[RattlesnakeDan]

There is what I named the "law of expectations". I have been self employed most of my life because of it.
The goofballs that don't show up on time, take off sick, have numerous emergencies, etc...the expectation for that person drops and they get away with stuff you wouldn't ever pull on someone. They expect more from you and you give it to them. You won't ever change it so become the boss, own your own business or live with it.
That is why the Bible tells us to do everything as we are doing it for God...because there is going to be disappointment in men.

[Chief Big Toe]

You work for them, and it’s their rules.

Play the game or find another job.

I hear your frustrations, however, every company that employs tradesmen have a busy time (outage, shutdowns, construction, etc.). They have schedules to meet and looming deadlines. Why would you think you’ve earned the right to “go fishing” when they need you the most?

Again, I understand your frustration. There are all different levels of worker and you sound like a good one. You want to be treated a certain way you feel you have earned. Take a closer look at your relationship with your employer. Maybe you already get special treatment and just aren’t seeing it.

This!!

[miket]

Been there. Felt basically the same way. In the end being good and vital comes with perks and responsibilities. Its not fair. Life is never fair. I was always told vacation was "sacred". Would never get a call to work when on vacation. Guess who got called on vacation? But guess who was also never laied off when every single other person in my dept was?

I did eventually start my business and do my own thing. As an employer I can see their side. If you are good and needed in most cases you are critical to their success. If you arent there it likely puts them in a bind. If they cant count on you, you will become less important. Of.course, that comes at a cost.

In the end, I dont have a solution other than yeah, it sucks.

[miket]

You can work for 50 years. Be loyal. Retire or fall over dead. They'll replace you tomorrow. Enjoy life and dictate your own work-life balance.

I agree with this. But be prepared for the consequences. You do what you want, dont be surprised when someone else becomes more vital to the company or the company feels you are less vital than they thought. Its all a trade off.

It is also true that without you the company will keep moving. We arent near as important as we think we are. Somebody somewhere is chomping at the bit to replace you. If not they will spread your duties to others.