green456:
tell yer missus to stop whinging cos you aint got time to listen to her cos you gotta get up to donny and break the strike that these drivers are having about unsociable hours etc
i think your quote to them was wake up and smell the coffee
Oh and here’s me thinking they are striking because they were being offered their current job at a lower rate. Silly me. Sorry for my confusion.
Thanks for your input in this relevant thread. 
Bin the wife or bin the job. On one hand, as you said, you entered the game not fully informed. On the other hand no one is forcing you to stay in it.
I’m sure your Mrs aint complaining about the extra coin ■■? Well she cant have it both ways. Seems like you did a lot more than most blokes on the domestic side. You spoiled her pal 
billybigrig:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9psTJTihMwYBin the wife or bin the job. On one hand, as you said, you entered the game not fully informed. On the other hand no one is forcing you to stay in it.
I’m sure your Mrs aint complaining about the extra coin ■■? Well she cant have it both ways. Seems like you did a lot more than most blokes on the domestic side. You spoiled her pal
+1
lol
I am on marriage number 3.
Give the job up NOW.
Take benefits as you have a family, do not go down the divorce route, for the sake of your children.
or… tell me to mind my own business.
been there got the t shirt
Try and find a 4 on 4 off job. Best thing i ever did. More time at home with the family and get to the gym 4 days at a time now. Happy days amd on the same money as the guys doing 5 days!!
When you’re home alone do you get to wear the trousers ■■ Tell her that her job is to get the kids sorted and make sure the house is clean and to make sure the ■■■■■ is nice and fresh for when you get home, and if she can’t handle that then you’ll find someone that can !!! 
Seriously, come to an arranged length of time ( maybe a month or two ) for you to get another job and promise that you will walk away after the time is up even if it is a struggle for a while, no job is worth losing your family ( maybe Girls Aloud gusset cleaner ) so do anything you can to keep them 
As has been said by someone else in a previous post on another thread:
haribo4000 wrote:There are a lot out there who would do anything to get a full time job. People made redundant and still struggling to find a job that pays enough to feed there families, pay there bills and maybe get a family holiday.
These strikes promote nothing more than arrogance. You were offered jobs, yes your T+C’s will be different, but it’s a job, and with bonuses its not bad, I have seen a lot worse. Maybe you should take a look and realise you’ve had it good for a long time. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. This is how it is in the real world.
I believe that bus drivers usually work more sociable hours and get home every night too!
Sorry to have to say it but you have choices to make - they just aren’t the ones that you would like.
Coffee anyone?!
Thanks Fred.
But I still fail to see what the relevance is between the 2 posts.
As for the coffee, yes please 
I’ve always said driving can be the best job or the worst job in the world depending on what you are doing. Sounds like you need to change what you are doing soon though.
You passed your test and jumped at the 1st job offered which included those shifts.
Now, it’s time to jump again.
BUT, to be honest, I personally don’t think the job or the shifts are ever bad enough to ruin a relationship. I think the relationship is already on it’s way and they’re just after an excuse.
A driver on here on marriage number 3, other people who are single, work mates who share a house after failed marriages / relationships.
The last ones I know personally though and wonder how the hell they ever got a woman anyway, dirty fat smelly scruffy drivers with bad attitudes, you know, the stereotype.
I’ve done night trunks, bread delivery (very early starts including weekends), tramping, earlies, mid’s and lates and never had a problem with it or the missus - she’s still gaffer taped in the kitchen like she always was
haribo4000:
Somebody once told me that this industry was the hardest to be in and have a family at the same time. My god, how right was he.I just hope my family lasts long enough. I would never have thought that the job I love would be the job I also hate!
Welcome to the world of STOBRATS! I learnt the hard way, first job in civvy street 1989! 
the gaffers answer to everything was " THAT’S TRANSPORT! " either look for another job, or DON’T BE A BREW ROOM WARRIOR AND SHY AWAY WHEN MOST OF YOU LADS ARE IN THE UNION! At Trafford park, sca, we fight back and they don’t like it! Personal circumstances come first, before the shower you work for, ( I’m guessing newark or heywood on Fridges ) sort out yourself for your wife’s and children and your own SANITY! STOBRATS are one hundred % bullstein merchants, you can do better than THAT!
Eh? 
For seeing more of the wife and kids, night trunk runs for parcel firms are the way to go but you need to find a firm that finishes around 2-3am on a Saturday morning or work Sunday-Thu night otherwise the weekends are torture.
When I was at Geopost I’d pick the kids up from school, have tea with the family and then set off to work at 7pm when the kids were on their way to bed.
IF YOU WANT LOST YOU WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND ,YOU MUST BECOME TO LGV DRIVERS.
is she still concerned about the amount of time you spend together,on saturday ,when she`s down the local shopping centre smashing the cards in …if not,then tell her to stop being so ■■■■■■■ sellfish 
Why hasn’t Haribo considered the new Police Commisioner Role,nearly fell off my chair last night when tele reported these buggers will be paid between
65k-100k plus all the extras sure Haribos missus would be pleased with that little lot,hell wouldn’t we all.
It’s a tough one this and with all the weird and wonderful shift patterns demanded these days it’s only going to get worse.
As has been pointed out a few years ago night shifts were the exception but in today’s 24/7 world, which the supermarkets dictate to us we need, it’s what we find ourselves expected to do.
You and the wife really need to sit down and discuss what is best for yourselves and the family while being realistic about what you can expect to find in today’s job market and inevitably it will involve some kind of compromise.
There still are mon-fri day jobs out there but you will find they don’t offer the same sorts of wage as the stupid o clock stuff, there is a reason for this. Also you have to look at what’s available in your area.
Just my opinion but I don’t think agency is really an option because it’s too unstable for a family that’s needs to maintain a certain income. You may start off telling them when you will work but come the quiet times when all they are offering is daft starts you will be forced to take it as you need a wage. Also if you think your arguing now, wait until the money dries up and see what it’s like then.
Two years ago I personally was made redundant from a very good paying job that saw me home most days. My options at the time were:-
This coincided with my kids starting in full time school which ruled out machine operating as I would of hardly of seen them and taking on a local job that would have meant losing the house within a year also had its downsides as far as I was concerned.
Having discussed it and with the offer of a job moving medical scanners on the table we decided I would go back tramping. It was a huge change for us all, especially the kids who were used to dad being there every day, but it means we get the quality time together as a family at weekends. Also there is enough money in the bank to allow us to enjoy ourselves from time to time.
Being home with the family is very important but you also have to provide for your family and it’s own circumstances. It’s usually a juggling act and the hard part is keeping ALL the balls in the air.
Cheers
Neilf
As others have said there are plenty of driving jobs out there with regular hours skip work tipper work etc.
I’ve heard so many drivers complain about missing out on family life and when you say about these jobs it’s I’m not doing that crap so they can’t be that worried about it. In the London area anyway you can earn as much as a general haulage driver as well if not more.
Supermarket and tanker work my be shifts but not 70 or 80 hours a week.
Thanks for the reply Neilf.
There are so many factors involved.
money- Will it pay bills/Do I have to work 70 hours to get enough.
Free time- Will I get time to spend with family/ time for running/cycling
Start times- Will I have time to sleep/ Will my sleep be enough
Shift Patterns- will i get weekends back/ will it fit around family commitments
Health- will it make me ill/ Look like ■■■■/ depressed/ tired
Location- How far is the commute/ Fuel costs
I know I will never get all of these to stand in my favour all at once, but if I can hit most of them it would help.
I can drop wages a bit if the job is located nearer to home. Also getting a 6am Mon-Fri job would sort out most of the other factors too.
I just want to get my life and family back before its too late.
I know Some of you have commented light heartedly and taken the urine a bit. But the fact is I am 31 year old with 3 young kids and a wife, and at the minute my job seems to be destroying it all. I feel and look like the walking dead which ultimately is making everyone else in the house feel crap. Atmosphere?? Understatement!
I know it is up to me to sort this out, that there is only me that can do anything about it. I just wanted to get this out there to see if it was a common situation or not.
I will continue to look for other employment as advised. Maybe a class 2 tipper job would suffice. or even return to construction. we’ll see.
Thank you for all the input and comments on this thread. Most has been really helpful.
cheers
A
Out of interest, I presume you were earning more in your old job with better hours and more family time etc? When you decided to take your licences and go driving, did you sit down with your mrs before and discuss the fact it would be longer hours for less money etc etc? I’m wondering if she’s maybe resenting you following a dream, and is now in a “I told you so” sort of mindset because you’re having a hard time. You really need to clear the air with her, have a proper chat (not shouting at each other) and discuss your options and where to go from here. Good luck man.
