On the verge of quitting

[shan]

I am a service engineer working for a Dutch company for nearly 6 years now. They recently got a big job in Israel and asked for guys to go and work out their on a voluntary basis. Due to the fighting etc. I declined the offer, and now they have changed their mind due to lack of volunteer's. So they are demanding i go. So i have said i will not be going that's it. I am not breaking my contract. So thats it. I get the feeling now that because i have refused the job that i will be sent on other real bad jobs we have running now. Also they are now trying to force me to work in Europe for 3 weeks at a time when the rule is 2 weeks. I think they are trying to push me harder and harder and see if i break. Well i don't want to quit as i love the work and the traveling. But it's getting to the point now where it's not at all worth it.
I am going to start to look for work based in the UK with maybe a bit of travel. I'm not sure what's out their to be had as I've been out of the loop for nearly 6 year.

[BlueRob]

If you love your job mate hang in there....it`s probably a bad moment, and soon things will be back to normal....

[dazzer t]

you should not have to put up with that sort of treatment mate if it is not stipulated in your contract then you have the right to decline, are you in a union if you are then speak to your representitive because if they are going to give you all the **** work then that would be discrimination.
hope you get it sorted

[DesignforLife]

Hi Shan,

I think you told me Before - but what type of Service Work do you do?

We are looking for decent Service Engineers in the NW.

Matt

[shan]

No union mate. English guy working for a dutch company it dosen't work etc. Even all the Dutch guys are not in a union. The main problem is we have that much work for the rest of the year and for the whole of next year it's never been known for this company. We are 20 guys short for the amount of work we have. So as a result the guy's with experience are pushed and pushed even harder than normal. So i dont see a let up anytime soon. They employ new guy's but they leave after 1 year of traveling around the world and they are bored. The employee turnover is unreal.

[shan]

Hi Matt.
I am doing install and qual of semiconductor machine's for the likes of Intel and IBM etc. Anyone that makes a microchip has a machine from our company. I am electrically based but have a great deal of experience with mechanical and pneumatics etc. Maybe i need to update my CV and get it off to your place.

[DesignforLife]

Ah OK,

My idea of a Service Engineer is slightly lower tech. We service & Maintain industrial Chillers that we manufacture.

I have contacts though in the Semi Conductor and Electronics Ind - so will keep my feelers out for ya.

Matt

[shan]

Matt it's not that hightec at all really. Quite old technology in new machine's. All machine's are hardwired not PLC run. A typical machine can cost around 2 million Euro, But the product inside can cost up to about 100 Million if it's let say Pentium processor's. I think in total we could have 1200 processor's inside at one time. So they would let the tool burn to the ground if anything go's wrong after they get the product out.

[Guyver1]

cant you threaten them with a tribunal?

[Ste]

Before going making threats or jumping ship, have you tried talking to your manager and explaining the situation?

I have found that most disputes can be cleared up relatively quickly, most are communications breakdowns - as they don't know how you feel about it.

People assume you are OK with what is going on, until you say otherwise, most don't realise they have pushed too far.

If you like the job, then it's probably worth trying to improve the current situation.

IMO making threats is not the best way to proceed at this point. (in fact at almost any point it is not good)