West Aussies!! Help a mate out... me!

[Wild Dingo]

Okay heres the drama
You all know I work out on a mine in the Grt Sandy Destert right? Well... mates Ive had enough! :mad: And am in need of other employment this is driving me and the family absolutely friggin crazy!

Ive been there 6 1/2 months and in that time Ive been off with phumonia and plurisy (no pay) with a blown cartilage (w/c) and a bursitis and celusitis of the elbow (no pay... even the w/c cut out during that one) and then on my last return the mine flooded halfway up the decline... but to settle it for us... I had a specialist appoint Monday then a physio (you know to get sorted for excersizes etc to actually get my knee up an running again) and then again of Thursday and a work docs appointment on Friday... now I told the bloody mine manager this before I left for R&R last Tues "no worries easy mate" was his response... so I go along to the specialist monday then to the physio on Tues (fly back day) and am waiting for tomorrow and Friday for the other two the intent was to have them and fly back on Boxing day getting Chrissy with the kids missus and family... when I get a phone call

Yeah apparently Im in breech of the W/C for not returning to the mine! :mad: Bloody bullfrigginshyte!... they made the appointments! but even so when I get there all I do is sit on my ass in the stores... I mean they have 2 storemen for crists sake so what am I to do? SIT ON MY BLOODY DATE!!! thats it...

So... phone call today was to say "your booked to fly back to site tomorrow" thats it end of story... I will fly back in Tues Jan 2nd...

Problem is Ive now got 4 young kids upset cause of all the plans they and we had made... and now christmas is shot to shyte for them and well for me since I will be stuck up there unable to see or be with them!! :(

Sooo Im puttin me hand up here fellas... I urgently need a more local job!!.... I dont mind working up to Chrissy as long as I get to see the missus and kids This will be the FIRST chrissy Ive missed with them and Im phissed :mad:

pm me if you have anything or know of anything!!

Yeah I'll no doubt take a dive in the money stakes but Ive already done that anyway! I dont give a rats what it is doing as long as Im working and am able to spend some time at home with the kids at special times of the year

Damn! I feel as though Im living to work rather than working to live :(

aahh buggar it... just put it down to a major flamin whinge

[MurrayD99]

...........aahh buggar it... just put it down to a major flamin whinge[/quote]

This time of year.... you really need this. Good luck Dingo. Something will turn up.

[Shedhand]

this is the new world of "more flexible working arrangements", to quote a certain Canberra based short-ar$ed dribbler.....off to the orange room...so i may as well add this..what the he11 kind of Labor government you got over there that allows such dodgy W/C laws in the first place. :mad:

[Sprog]

this is the new world of "more flexible working arrangements", to quote a certain Canberra based short-ar$ed dribbler.....off to the orange room...so i may as well add this..what the he11 kind of Labor government you got over there that allows such dodgy W/C laws in the first place. :mad:

It is all down to that Margaret Thatcher acolyte, 'Little Johnny', who introduced the arcane workplace laws, nothing at all to do with the Labour government here.

[Wild Dingo]

After having words with the "injury management person" (IMP) sheila this arvo... there seems nothing can be done other than my snatching it by not turning up for the plane... the w/c doc says I can do "light duties" theyre offering "light duties" aka nothing to do for 12 hours a day duties :rolleyes: so I have to go

So... I can do as the missus suggested glibly and simply miss the plane... good thought there for the mighty little one... at which point I will be in breach of the w/c and at which point all hell will break loose from the insurer... and the employer... or I can ring site and talk to the single young fella who doesnt give a flying purple rats ass and tell him the situation and hope against any form of hope (Ive already discussed this with him before I left the other week) that he has a change of heart an just puts me on unpaid leave till after Chrissy... or I can go back

I can of course go back and now that the IMP has told her of the issues with doing nothing at all for 12 hours for 14 days straight... and when he sends me back to sit on my ass in stores again tell him to "Jack it up yer date put me on a plane" and thereby snatch it... dont know what dif if any the fact that the IMP sheilas has told him of the issues will make or not or what effect my snatching it will make to a) the w/c claim and b) the possiblities of gaining another job or...

I can try one more avenue... the HR peanut in Perth... lay it all on his lap and if he doesnt just say "tuff shyte mate" then maybe he will see reason I MEAN ITS BLOODY BORING AS HELL DOING NOTHING FOR 12 FRIGGIN HOURS MATES!! and maybe he will set about doing something... now the thing is HE DOESNT GIVE A SHYTE!... you dont go? tuff see ya later cobber... I dont get on the plane? tuff see ya later cobber... I go up there and get the same "duties" its tuff shyte seeya later cobber

Soooooooooooo... we are having a small chrissy night tonight with just the kids here and we will head up to the airport tomorrow and see what happens from there

BUT!! I really need another friggin job! Ive had this one... Im now OFFICIALLY over it... one just ONE bloody prob and they can shove it and put me on the next plane back :mad:

yeah yeah... I will get over it... just phissin me fair off right now... and believe me my resume is flyin all over the damned net right now! ANYTHING at all comes up Im gone :cool:

Whatcha got? ;)

[bsrlee]

Sounds to me like they are trying to drive you to quit - possibly because they think they will be liable for a substantial compo payout & that they will avoid it if you go & get a job elsewhere.

Not sure about WA, but in NSW they are also supposed to find you MEANINGFUL alternate employment, not just shut you up in a store room all day staring at the wall. As I understand it, this is a big No-No & may get them into even more trouble if it gets to court. You may want to speak to either a Union rep or a Compo. specialist lawyer-type.

Start a diary of all and any stuffing about they give you, such as making doctors appointments & harassing you about not being at work at the same time, scheduling you to be at the mine for important family events that you should have had off, particularly if you cannot actually work there at the time due to your injury.....

[Shedhand]

It is all down to that Margaret Thatcher acolyte, 'Little Johnny', who introduced the arcane workplace laws, nothing at all to do with the Labour government here.I wasn't blaming Howard's "flexible working arrangements" on the WA labor govt. I was asking what sort of Labor govt do you have that allows the W/C laws you work under. W/C is nothing to do with the Feds (thankfully as they'd be even weaker than they are).

An d what bsrlee said. Excellent advice ( I was a Workers Comp Tribunal and Industrial Advocate in another life).

[outback]

I won't enter into your Workers Comp, injury woes, as I know nothing of them.

Perhaps whilst at work on Christmas day, you can look around at your colleagues, all of which would like to be home with their family, none of which have chucked a sookylala. Let's face it, it's your shift which copped out this year and must work.

My advice, go to work in good grace, look for another job if you wish, get advice from anyone willing to help regrading your Workers Comp trouble,but don't chuck the toys out of the cot like the spoilt brat you appear.

[arose62]

It might be worthwhile including what your skills are, or how you could be valuable to an employer.

Cheers,
Andrew

[Wild Dingo]

I won't enter into your Workers Comp, injury woes, as I know nothing of them.

Perhaps whilst at work on Christmas day, you can look around at your colleagues, all of which would like to be home with their family, none of which have chucked a sookylala. Let's face it, it's your shift which copped out this year and must work.

My advice, go to work in good grace, look for another job if you wish, get advice from anyone willing to help regrading your Workers Comp trouble,but don't chuck the toys out of the cot like the spoilt brat you appear.

ooooh now that hurts :C

Okay so heres what eventuated... I went back... with "good grace" I might add having decided what the hell nothing for it but to just do what has to be done... actually had become quite content with a few decisions Id made as I flew up there... anyway I got a text message from one of the daughters on Saturday arvo (remember here theres no planes in or out over the weekend) saying the bride had been taken to hospital that morning with some very hazy remarks about chest pain... so I calmly texted her back to get the daughter in question to tell me what had happened but her phone was now turned off so tried another daughter she didnt have a clue and was in Perth but would head home to find out tried another daughter she had no idea and was at work but would try the hospital to find out tried son his phone was turned off tried home again got youngest son crying his heart out finally got him to hand over to his other sister who was in an equal state of disarray tried like buggary to calm them both down (12 and 13 its not easy when dads away and mums in hospital and all the brothers and sisters arent there... can you say PANIC?) I think I sort of succeeded after a fair while

Gave up ringing for an hour or so then rang the daughter heading home she hadnt got to the hospital yet but would ring me back... so now its early evening and Im starting to freak out totally... so I rang the hospital told them who I was and who she was and where I was and that I needed to know what was happening... the sheila passed me over to some bloke who I had to repeat myself to he handed me over to some sheila again I had to repeat myself to her she of course passed me on to some other noddy who said he was a doctor so I repeated myself yet again only to be told she had been moved to ICU high dependancy unit... freak out factor hit the roof

Finally I got put through and spoke to the ICU nurse who I was told was looking after her I repeated myself yet again and her response was "oh she is resting peacefully" uhuh right so whys she in ICU?? so I explained again that I was her husband and that I was 3500+ klicks out in the desert and needed to know what her condition was her response? "Im sorry sir I cant give you any other details of her condition over the phone if you would like to come in visiting hours are..." FRIGGIN HELL!!!

I rang the daughters again finally scoring the one travelling who had just arrived at the hospital and was asked to wait while she went and found out what was happening... its now 7pm Saturday night

No planes out till Monday... no way out till Monday... shes in hospital Im in the desert... F***!!!!

So finally at 9.30pm daughter rings back with the news... she had had "some problems" with her heart at 9.30am while hanging out the clothes and had been raced into hospital by our son who just happened to be home at the time LUCKILY!... and she was now "resting" so nothing else could be done... so daughters rallied round and took care of the kids for the night

I went to work Sunday resigned to hang in there you know like Outback says... I "toughened up"... No troubles no fretting no whining whinging or worrying... well okay not much anyways... I spoke with the foreman to advize him of what had happened and he promptly booked me on the first flight out on Monday morning... okay so I had another 24 hours before I could get home hang tough sonshine he found me things to keep me occupied which was a bloody bonus

Phone calls and text messages through the day telling me of what was happening... talk about feeling like a ten titted bullock with no knuts!! bloody useless!

But I made it through and so did she... I got down here to find her almost normal... the main fear they had with her was due to her tiny size shes 5ft 1in tall and weighs in at about 5stone sopping wet! If shes lucky... they appologized and explained why they wouldnt and couldnt give out the info I wanted over the phone and I sorta appreaciate it... but anyways... shes okay

We had Chrissy together!! Talk about a hell of a ride!!

I returned to site the day after boxing day and had a great week up there only one boring day in the store a very heated altercation with the dopey dipsticks in stores then other duties were found... had a bottler of a new years eve and came home again feeling good about everything

ahem... saw the specialist again hes now taken the stand that I can no longer do underground work as my knee is stuffed and I now need re training... saw the company doc who agreed with him... both of who were astounded that the company had returned me to site even though both had informend them that I NEEDED physio... had phone call from insurer wondering what I expected now that the surgeon and docs reports were agreeing as the company "only does underground work" laugh laugh... I explained that Im teachable that I have one degree already have the training ticket so it wouldnt be a difficult thing to do OH&S course... oooh dear did the scpincter button get pushed on that wee lassies bum!! :D

But now the physio has his knickers in a knot... since I missed the appointment that was made due to the woman sending me back to site and hes now writing a letter to them outlining the needs physio wise and their requirements under the act to allow me access to a physio as directed... ooh joys eh?!

But anyways... Im not whingin Im just sayin thats all... want a whinge? strewth mate I can whinge with the best of them but this isnt a whinge its more a gripe theres a difference you know :; :U

[Doughboy]

Dingo firstup glad the missus is ok. I reckon you handled the situation like a trooper!

As for insurance companies and their grief.

I had a car accident on my way to work on 17 Jan 2006 and bunged up my neck pretty bad. Since then I have had physio and all the crap that goes with it, had to jump through all the hoops to proove I was not clinically depressed. The woman I saw just pegged me as depressed until I told her to take a runand jump.

Anyway back to insurance companies. I was on my way to work and it was a car accident. So you would think that it would be easy to assertain who would be involved right ...... wrong. My works insurance company said that because it was a car accident that it was the responsibility of NRMA (the third party insurer for all motor vehicles in ACT) and of course NRMA said that it was on the way to work so my work insurer was liable. I had to go and get a judge to decided who was responsible for it.

Now that was decided I had lots of physio and psyche evaluations. For the last six months I have been having injections in my neck to narrow down which joints are causing the pain with a view to having a neurotomy (sp). I had my last lot of injections on December 17. On Dec 22 I get a letter from works insurers that they believe I am fully recovered and able to return to work full capacity and responsibility as of DEC 25. I think to myself Merry Effing Xmas Pete and give them a call. They are not going to approve the surgery that all these tests have been angled towards. Now if these tests had been marginal then I would understand that but they were a resounding success so I was flabbergasted.

As of Dec 26 I have not had a job and have had to sell my motorbike to pay for the operation. That in itself does not bother me as I would rather sell the bike and have the possibility of a working future. Now this is where it gets curly.

My wife is presently off from work having had our baby girl five months ago. So with all this cruddy news she goes back to her boss and askes if she can come back early citing our current situation. He offers her two days a week. Not enough to put food on the table and nappies on our littlun let alone pay our mortgage etc.

So I just want you to know that you my friend are not on your pat malone in your quest for some one to do the right thing.If this is viewed as a whinge then so be it but sometimes we just need to vent.

Take care mate and hope things only improve for you and yours.

Pete

[outback]

Sorry to hear about your missus. Glad to hear that things are starting to work out for you on the employment front.
Insurance companies and bank managers should all be drowned.:C

[DJ’s Timber]

Shane, sorry to hear about the missus and good to hear that things are now going good for her.

As for work, it sounds like there is hope on the horizon, maybe. Hopefully things will only get better from here onwards

[TK1]

Hi Dingo,

Sent you a PM with a contact, will also get a couple of others this week for you...hope it helps with the job search. I used to travel every week too with work, to the point the kids thought it was a novelty when I was home :(

All the best,
Darren

[bsrlee]

Dingo - please give best 'Get Well Soon' wishes to the Missus, and have one for yourself.

Re: Workers Comp. There are good staff at insurers and there are bad staff - looks like you have been stuck with the 'bad' staff. It is also obvious that the doctors & physio all know THEIR responsabilities, so you shouldn't have too much more to worry about - sounds like you have put the wind up the junior they delegated to speak to you.

I know a few people in compo - one is now head of claims for a major insurer in NSW, the other is a very well paid solicitor. The good operators want to get you fixed up ASAP and give you all the things you are entitled to - they want you happy & off their books.The poor operators are the ones who stuff you around - they don't seem to realize that keeping you on their books for years actually cost more than getting you fixed up immediately, and is much more likely to result in a 'chronic' injury that won't go away, they are like politicians in that they only look at the next review date and not the lng term picture.

Anyhow - make them really suffer - have a long, healthy & successful life:2tsup:

[dadpad]

Dingo,
Heres a link to the Skilled site. There seem to be a lot of west aussie jobs advertised. hope something is up your alley. The grey box at left of screen has a link for current vacancies.

http://www.skilled.com.au/

[Wild Dingo]

Cheers for all the responses mates

Seems I think things will start to sort themselves out now... Ive finally got a rehab provider sheila on board and seems not only am I not being paid right but Im bein underpaid and not paid when I should have been... Im also as Ive said before not getting the physio and medical treatment I should have been getting but havent but Ive been forced back to site to do nothing which is all against the workcover act... the fact that they had been sending me back to site was causing no end of probs re physio and the employers return to work assistants expressed view that physios dont help much anyway so you can see them on your week off is so much bullshyte and also against not only the docs orders but also work cover... so this sheilas gonna put a few loaded pineapples up a few rectums over the next few days and get things sorted... and there will be a claim made for my elbow which was done at work also and therefore should have been paid under the workers comp so the 6 weeks pay we lost while I was being treated and off work for that will be paid... better late than never!

I also found out a quite a few things I didnt know... things like we can claim travel/fuel costs for all those trips to Perth and back to see their docs and specialists along with the trips to Bunbury and Rockingham!! We didnt know that!

It looks like I will be looking at "redeployment" ala a new job so to that end shes going to see what can be done about getting me into the "training" field as Im qualified to do the job (marcsta inductions skills assessments tickets etc) and being local she has a lot of contacts here which is more important than having them 2 - 3 hours away in Perth

I dont look like ever returning to site since the orders from both surgeon and doc is that I cant go on uneven ground and thats all thats up there that is now going to be vetoed.... other than one short trip up to get the gear Ive left behind gone on the 5am express and back on the return flight so back at lunch time :cool:

So things are starting to pop and hopefully it will come together for something better in the near future

BUT most importantly I will now start getting the bloody help I need to get this flamin knee right again... or as close as it can ever get without the reconstruction it needs but I should be able to get sorted and on me feet again sooner rather than later... should start physio 3 times a week as of next week and then the gym and pool in a couple of weeks time :2tsup:

Cheers one and all... particular thanks to those who sent the contacts!! :2tsup: :2tsup: :2tsup:

[DJ’s Timber]

Sounds good Dingo, hopefull you'll be back on ya feet before you know it