Living allowance, livable?

[piroska]

I was 46 when I started there. That start led me into a job with a joinery company I left that job and at 49 got a job with another mitre10 pricing all the house builds off the plans for all the builder clients.

.

46 is not in the too old age bracket. Wait till you're late 50s or 60s.
Friend at Uni, she's still there, everyone else is gone, many rounds of redundancy. She loses hers this year too. Shes going up North with relative there, as rent is too much, and she worries she won't get work, having watched all the others struggle and end up with none or crap jobs not in IT if they were young enough. Shes 59.

Her colleague lost his job ages ago now, he'd divorced too, bought his wife out of house. Age 60 when he lost job, couldn't get another, even out of IT, couldn't pay mortgage, lost house, so he hung himself eventually.

Friend of mine her husband is 65 now, she younger, they have a mortgage, he is losing his truck driving job with Fletchers this year so selling up and moving back to Southland so they can get a place mortgage free.

Doesn't want to, but there you go. She lost her old people care job a year ago, hasn't had another, does a bit of private house cleaning part time, but health is ending that.

[1101]

The only upside to having to take menial jobs is legal min wage is slowly creeping towards $20 an hour. (approx $40K year ?) . For those who are mortgage free & no dependants , thats not too bad.
Thats not much less than what I get paid for a skilled job, after 10 years with no pay rise .

But even a menial crap job is still a job. As long as you dont see your self worth by what your job title is.

[piroska]

I can't get IT work anymore, too old, too long out of it.
Not good enough with Linux, not into Win10.

I did get one job a while ago.
The owner of the business was older than me, not IT literate at all.
It was a property management place.
I was to do some PC stuff, new listings (via this REA software) and such, and also check properties, clean them if need be, hold viewings and such.

I couldn't do it.
Tried. That woman was in better nick than me and raced about. After week 1 was stuffed, couldn't walk etc, my arthritis.
I thought I'd handle it, after all drive to house, walk around, clean etc, drive to next...but nope. I literally had to go home and lie on the floor.

So much for that.

Most others won't look at me for office stuff, too many others who had a career in it. I was turned down by WINZ, call centre - why? Too much IT and I'd get bored they said.
After I'd had 5 goes at applications, every time passed their tests in 5 mins flat with 100% accuracy.

Sigh.

Son is 41. At 39 he had major surgery on his back and was off for ages. When he came back, they promoted him, he doesn't do lifting anymore.
There was an older guy there, been there years...excellent worker, he was off too, had a minor heart attack. He came back too, and they then proceeded to get rid of him. Son fought that, but lost.

Went to see him a while back, guy is now turned 60. On the dole. Goes down to that labour hire place every day, but hasn't got work yet, not even a day.

Ageism is rife you know.

[kahawai chaser]

I have a mate aged 72 still working, got employed at 70, running a small cleanup operation on Waiheke Island. Just bought a yacht and a boat, fixing them up. He long sold his home and properties that he bought cheap in Raetihi 40 years ago, He tried retirement in a village could not do it. Welding/Diesel mechanic background, running scrap business years ago. Sold those too.

Worked all over NZ last 30 odd years, but has no tie-downs, home, partner to worry about. Been spending money on grand kids lately. I think he has a fat bank balance, form land/business sales, but worked hard for it - still does. Visits me to fix/source parts for vehicles to sell on TM, lately outboard engines to tune/repair. He keeps me going too....

So I think, rather than just worked, he worked into ownership of businesses, land, vehicles, buildings, etc which has paid handsome dividends decades later...

[prefect]

My advice to you old f**kers get your class 4 and 5, forklift, dangerous goods and passenger endorsements and employers will kicking in your retirement home door to give you a job.

[gary67]

Having my F endorsement was what helped get a start with Mitre10.

[pctek]

My advice to you old f**kers get your class 4 and 5, forklift, dangerous goods and passenger endorsements and employers will kicking in your retirement home door to give you a job.

Wrong. Thats what the old guy at my sons work had.
Also friend of mine, here husband was a truckie, has ALL the licenses. They stuck him on the loader a couple of years ago and he has been told he's out end of the year.

So much for that...and they're advertising for workers there.

[kahawai chaser]

The only upside to having to take menial jobs is legal min wage is slowly creeping towards $20 an hour. (approx $40K year ?) . For those who are mortgage free & no dependants , thats not too bad.
Thats not much less than what I get paid for a skilled job, after 10 years with no pay rise .

But even a menial crap job is still a job. As long as you dont see your self worth by what your job title is.

True.. long as you can work variable hours. I have known hours to change or increase once a worker settles in; Also to handle constantly training temp workers (often foreigners) during busy periods. I recall a worker got upset cause he had to train prisoners - whilst he studied and effectively paid his way in to the job...

I think though perhaps some people should step out/train up/educate - something I lacked a little, because became too relaxed, cruising in a long term stable job. Until company-wide redundancies came into effect.

[1101]

Also friend of mine, here husband was a truckie, has ALL the licenses. They stuck him on the loader a couple of years ago and he has been told he's out end of the year.

So much for that...and they're advertising for workers there.

Thats something they cant do , they have to have valid reasons to get rid of him, and go through the correct process . They cant lay someone off if they are still hiring
He could stop that happening & keep his job , or after he's dumped go to the relevant Govt Dept, lay a complaint for dismissal because of age , and get a big payout from the company.

[1101]

True.. long as you can work variable hours. I have known hours to change or increase once a worker settles in; Also to handle constantly training temp workers (often foreigners) during busy periods. I recall a worker got upset cause he had to train prisoners - whilst he studied and effectively paid his way in to the job...

Some companies seem to do split shifts , or hire as part time basically on call with a days notice of days & time you have to work.
Split shifts would be the pitts , you have to hang around for hours , unpaid . Because no point driving home then coming back 3 hours later .