I posted this in chat, can anyone help me out with any suggestions please?

[SaltireOShanter]

DH is off on a 4(possibly 6) month detachement in July. Work have said I can't have any unpaid leave in the summer hols, or the October hols and if it is a 6 month one, I can't get any time off in the Christmas holidays either.
I have also been told that I can't get the half term week off in May (the only chance we as a family will have to go away this year) and that I still have to work my Saturdays. A CM is going to cost me £6.00 an hour, weekdays and £12 an hour for Saturdays, goodness knows what Boxing Day would cost me. I work 3 hours a day, 4 out of 7, and get £6.50 an hour. I work 3 hours a day but would need a CM for 4 because of buses. I'm not going to be entitled to any childcare help am I?

That is pasted from the original thread, which, if you want to read it, but its not very long, is here

Bumping for you.

DH thinks I should give in my notice nearer the time. I don't want to but can't see what choice I have.
I looked on the RAF families website, and all the info was "contact the HIVE, speak to PMS" etc etc. Well PMS is great if you are on an RAF base,a nd the HIVE would be ideal, but the 3 HIVEs near me are all on Naval bases and say to me "OH, I don't know, we don't know anything about the RAF",

Oh Saltire that's crap! Who do you work for? Have you got a HR office you can talk to? Your DH must be parented by an RAF station - would it be worth getting in touch with them?

Where are you at the moment? Not sure if I'm close by! Would it be worth threatening handing your notice in? Not an ideal solution but maybe worth a try?

Reading it again, it sounds like you're going to be paying out more in childcare and bus fares than you're earning. Add to this the fact they're being so unhelpful about your holidays and it sounds like they really don't deserve you! Would this lot be any help?

I work for a large High Street retailer, there is an HR woman in the shop I work in, but don't know if she would be any good, or if the company as whole would be.
Don't know if he is parented by an RAF unit, the place he works is Army run Tri service, we are in Hampshire
Where are you now, I read another thread where you said you were in the UK again?

Or these?

Yes we're back!! In Buckinghamshire, got back in Nov. Third baby due in 2 weeks! Arrgghh!!

Don't know what else to suggest but they really aren't being very helpful are they. Why can't you have at least some of the holidays off? Are they really all fully booked already? How frustrating

On the weeks I work Saturday - which is 2 out of every 3 saturdays, I will be paying £112 a week in childcare and then £11.40 bus fares, and the 1 week I don't work Sat will be £96 in childcare. SO I will definately be paying out more than I earn!

I didn't know you were preganant either McDreamy, I must have missed that bit.

WRT to teh holidays, my team manager said "You have to put down 2 choices, X(the store manager) isn't giving anyone their first choice at all"

I said there was no point in me putting down, for example, the first week of June, as a second choice, when I wanted the last week of May, becasue thats when the DSes were off school and DH is off"

I might have to do that, it would mean messing up the holiday form though.
I'm not getting any time off in the Easter holidays either, DH has had to ask his mum if she can come down, otherwise he will need to take leave, and will end up using all his leave looking after the DSes.

I'm going to be really dim here but what are the RAF Families federation up to these days? Didn't they start making an effort to get up to AFF (lol) standards last year with a shiny magazine etc? Have they got an employment advisor you could harrass call?
It probably won't do you any actual good, but it is important for these sorts of issues to be fed back... a lot of literature exists into military spouses and employment in the states, but it seems to just be accepted here...

what an absolute pita.