On call rota. What to do?

[OrmIrian]

I need some advice please. I work in the IT dept of a manufacturing company. I have been here for years and all in all they have been good to me with regard to working conditions and flexibilty. Not paid that well but I have no commuting costs.

We are installing a whole raft of new systems atm to replace the legacy systems that were written in house over the years. My main area of responsibility is separate to those and will remain as is. Recently a 24 hour call ?out rota has been instigated with all the members of staff in the dept on it ? about 15 in all. But I was originally excluded because I work part-time. One of the others has had to pull out and my manager has asked me if I?d be prepared to consider being included. An entire week on call (overnight basically and early weekend mornings) will pay an extra £250 approx so not exactly a fortune. Once every 5 weeks. I feel in a way that I should do this as it?s a way of learning about the new systems and I am concerned about being side-lined if I don?t. My gut feeling is that I?d hate it as I don?t feel confident at all about my knowledge, I have 3 young kids and all the stresses involved with that and I am simply not sure that I would cope. Being woken at 3am to deal with a problem I don?t initally understand sounds a step too far to me?.but all the others have had to take it on. Am I just being a total wimp?

I?ve told my manager about my concerns and that I will talk to DH. It will impact on him too. Manager is very nice about it but it?s clear he wants me to do it.

What to do?

Orm in a lot of ways you could almost be me. I have an English degree and 11 years in IT but on this same legacy system - how's that for digging your own grave. There is very little work, I am deadly bored at work, but out of work spend my time juggling my children's needs. I am expecting redundancy which in a way will be a relief because it will force the issue, but is quite scary because obviously we can't afford for me not to work long term.

So I do sympathise with your position.

Yes. Very like me. 13 of my 16 years have been here too I got here and not long after that decided to have kids ..and then it was easier to stay put. And they have been good to me with one thing and another but this increasing pressure to do the on-call coupled with a couple of hints that part-time working wasn't such a good idea now. I also work from home 2 days a week and I have a feeling that's going to be stopped too. I'd love redundancy TBH - I'd get quite a good whack and it would then leave me a few months to look around. Nowt much to do here that would earn enough and I'd need to commute to get more, but I'd be OK with a small job and maybe try to retrain. Yes we'd be broke but TBH I'd feel so much happier. I don't think they could make me redundant - they need my skills and there isn't anyone else who could do it atm, and not enough IT bods to spare anyone to retrain. So I guess I won't be got rid ...just constant subtle pressure to change my dinosaur ways .

There isn't anyone in my dept that has young kids that doesn't also have a wife at home. DH works long hours and isn't there to do the school run etc. It makes me feel like they're telling me that as a mother I can't be a good worker unless I can afford a nanny or DH stays at home. Infuriating. I do a damn good job

Deep down there is part of me that wants to be a SAHM. I want to be able to take my kids into school every morning, volunteer to hear reading, do some jobs around the house that never otherwise get done. But finances wouldn't really allow...

Gawd another looooong rant! Sorry.

Don't be sorry. A lot of what you are saying really rings a bell with me. I think the redundancy will be a good thing for me, because I do have a commute and struggle with DS's swimming, football etc. But I just don't know where to go from here - my IT skills are very dated, but I am on relatively good pay for part time. I only fell into IT but what can offer the same pay?

Blimey bozza, we are sounding more and more similar!

Had a heart to heart with DH last night. I've been so stressed with work I've been horrible to live with and getting it all out in to the open really helped. Had a fantastic day today - everyone getting on because DH and I were getting on and really relaxed. But I must admit I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I think about work . Dreading Monday morning. I've not felt this bad about it before. I was wondering if it was a good idea to tackle the PR manager - she's a good sort and very approachable, to find our where I stand re being forced to take on the on-call thing. If she tells me that I have to, I will start seriously looking around for something else. Otherwise I will just wait till they discover they no longer need me and make me redundant. WHich I have no doubt they will.

It sounds really hard OrmI. I kind of blank work out of my mind atm mostly, but sometimes I feel it is lurking there. How understanding is your DH? I sometimes feel mine is sympathetic but lacking in understanding.

Sorry Bozza. Been seriously distracted by work recently . By and large DH is very supportive. I know he carries a bit of guilt that I have always had to work even when the babies were small even though I've always made it clear I totally accepted that in the circumstances we both had to share the load. Only I wanted to be at home- he didn't! And I have been the kind of person that copes - with everything and anything, most of childcare and housework due to DH's long hours, job, ferrying of DCs around the place. And he took that for granted a little. But recently I've just started to struggle ? don't know why and after a few occasions when I had a major meltdown I think he's realised that I'm not bloody Superwoman! And done more when he's here. He'd love for me to give up my job but we both know that isn't feasible.