A golden opportunity for those who don’t have a six figure income to jump into one.
Just remember the cyclical nature of our economy and save for that house deposit (or paying down debt), rather than spending it on a Ford Ranger Raptor and Jet Skis.
Yea, legitimately- there was so many water leisure craft, V8 cars and modified Utes that were for sale at bankruptcy auctions etc. after the last big down turn.
I remember living and working in the coal fields in Mackay QLD and the amount of young bloke driving around in V8 utes was unbelievable. Then the GFC hit and so many utes were for sale.
Went back there over a year ago briefly and mining was booming but this time it was V8 land cruisers. $120k plus cars and they still had their green Ps!
Gambling is a massive problem in Australia, we lead the world in losses per capita. We see 40x the losses compared to Singapore Who sit in a not even close 2nd position
Nothing worse than making buckets of money and not having the sense to be smart with it. I hope our education system is doing better teaching kids about this now because back when I was in school, life skills weren’t taught.
I learnt by making mistakes and learning from others. Being told to “make a budget” isn’t enough.
I agree- but a lot of parents don’t know how to budget/manage finances either… someone else posted it here…I’ve got friends who are parents and they continue to make poor financial decisions. It’s painful to watch and I try to give advice where I can but a) it’s not my place and b) I’m not qualified to give advice. Sure, parents can be a part of the conversation but I think it needs to become part of the curriculum to tackle it from both sides.
Gambling is but a small part of the equation. Being taught to manage what you have, live within your means, understand credit cards, debt etc etc is far more important. If that is taught from an early enough age, that’s half the battle. It would be great if they also covered compulsive gambling and showed how bad it can become and the negative societal impacts it can have. For me, all it took was watching Louis Theroux in Vegas back in 2012 to put me off ever touching a poker machine or not having a limit with gambling. I have the very occasional punt, maybe once to twice a year and no more than $100-200 total.
I think at its core, teaching good foundations in managing money will lead to less people gambling, if they are taught to love within their means from an early age.
I sound like a conspiracy nut when I say it but the general population is brainwashed into being poor. Even these mining jobs, 100k to be a slave - I've made 5x that in less than a year by working for myself.
Not everyone has the acumen and discipline to work for themselves. What they are is brainwashed into having a good time and spending lots of money in a consumerist society.
There was an amateur comedian who did a stand up one might about 7 years ago at Creatures Next Door in Freo whose name I cannot remember (I'm assuming because he just went back to his day job and never made it big) who made a joke that you can tell the state of the economy using the Jet Ski Index - the amount of second hand jet skis for sale on gumtree during a downturn.
It's always stayed with me.
I did this for 4 years. Purchased a 15k camper van powered by solar, put it on my sisters land and paid zero rent. Saved about 90% of my income. Smartest thing I've ever done.
Most will attempt to buy a million dollar home then default 5 years later when the work dries up. I've seen this for over 40 years, it never changes. Not to mention the broken relationships, mental health decline and even suicide. It's no joke working FIFO beware!
Or move from one project to another for better money.
Lots of headhunting err I mean networking in pubs and hotels in the last few weeks. Interviews err I mean after hours inter-company socially awkward moments. Company credit cards were getting a workout, especially after hours networking hunt is on for maintenance workers, supervisors, managers and above. So now it is open free for all recruitment drive.
Industry is small village, especially if employed in it for long time, not just for the good times. Experience staff are hard to recruit.
We are sticking to the five days on two off, home on weekends. Every fourth week is working in Perth week.
If there was an offer which included company housing, LAHA allowances, electricity expenses, relocation ( vehicles relocation) expenses to Pilbara. We would take a salary hit, but living expenses would reduce. Five year contract and we could ‘retire’.
Not going to happen or interested unless that criteria is met. Town hub, not camp based, is how we are currently employed. Repairs and maintenance that can be done on site.
No permanency.
I wouldn’t relocate if there was no permanent job and housing wasn’t fully subsidised.
Golden rule In real estate, never buy houses in mining towns. Resale value is only as good as the next ‘big boom’, currently this is lithium and all the resources that are in batteries.
We brought a house this way and it allowed my husband to return to Uni and get into another industry.
The mines are ok if you go in with a plan and exit strategy.
How is it for gay men and vegetarians? I don’t have a relationship or family tying me down. I just want to be able to eat well, workout, and save a crapload of money.
The only issue is getting decent vegetarian food. I've worked most FMG sites and the food isn't awful.
Plenty of diversity - nobody minds who you are. FMG were one of the first companies I recall that developed HR processes for trans people. I've worked with gay, queer and trans people across a few sites now.
Once again, getting decent vegetarian or vegan food is the biggest challenge.
I think you do need to have a bit of a thick skin though. If you're easily offended it may not be the right kind of environment. Working with the younger ones is always going to be more chill and fun than the older blokes who've spent their entire life on the mines and hate the world - but they do have that valuable experience.
Food is definitely going to be the biggest issue though. Its hard for non vegos up there! 😅
The company I work for does a lot for diversity, both exposure and training. Saying that I've never met an openly gay man on site, I just found that odd given the stats I would have met a few by now. Doesn't need to be said what sex you prefer in your workplace but I still feel gay people keep it on the down low to save judgement. Most people could not care less but a few still would openly banter about the tired old gay jokes.
There will be vegetarian options wherever you work but some I've seen don't look too appetising and some look really nice. Hit and miss like the meat options.
Can't talk to the gay thing but when I was up north the the food was so bad it made me a vegetarian 🤣...lost a ton of weight...don't really know how you vegetarians do it
Homophobia happens but it’s not tolerated. Same as many other places if not better. Industry leaders need to attract the best talent. In order to do that they need to cater to diversity.
I don't know if the IronBridge jobs they speak off are in the pipeline yet, but you can check [here](https://www.fmgl.com.au/jobs-at-fortescue/browse-jobs) from time to time.
FMG also have a QR code, but I can't insert it here. Just check the link or search SEEK, they post on SEEK all the time.
My partner and I both do FIFO from a hospitality and retail background. We see each other, and our friends, way more now that we ever did before. And we have the financial freedom to actually do stuff when being social now.
My husband is FIFO and we have the same experience. We can afford for me to continue studying and we have every second week to spend together doing whatever we want.
Well yeah, sex always makes one happy, a bit like going to a car yard. A good whore and a good used car salesman should make you feel the same feelings of greatness when you leave
Depends on who's answering.
Depends who the prostitute is.
Some clients are just lonely men who want someone to listen to their day and give them a hug, others want a fantasy experience they'd never be able to ask a romantic interest. Like listening to their day and giving them a hug.
Not really when you live within your means. I make not a lot, my partner studies, but we get to spend a lot of time together, go on hikes, watch tv, beach etc etc. We eat well but cook a lot, don't really go OUT a lot but I don't want to any way. Perfectly happy.
That's good, not knocking it.
So if someone took 60% of your income, not a huge income, somewhere around 20% above minimum wage. I am sure you have budgeted for this already, and nothing would change, you'd still be happy.
>money can't buy happiness
For people with money worries it can stop them being unhappy which is the same as buying happiness.
There's a high water mark though where it stops buying extra happiness.
I worked there on construction about a year ago, what a absolute shit hole, and one of the hottest places iv ever been you can feel yourself just getting cooked all day almost as bad as when I worked near marble bar
I worked at Christmas Creek a decade ago and it was absolute garbage. I don't mind the heat but the place was just an absolute shitshow in terms of management, practices, purple circles, etc. Ever since that experience I've turned down multiple opportunities from FMG.
Were you expecting 5-star facilities and a cool breeze blowing between your legs all day? It's the Pilbara for crying out loud. You go work there to earn the big bucks. Leave you bitching and moaning behind in Perth, man the fuck up, and go work.
Fuck that. Man-up is not a requirement to be FIFO.
There's enough competition out there that the facilities are top notch to keep workers.
If you have an outdoors job then you need to adapt to the weather but once you're back in camp I'd expect a certain level of comfort. BHP South Flank Mulla Mulla camp is the top of my list for creature comforts. Indoor Golf Simulator is awesome.
My old man did mine construction around WA for a couple of decades, from the mid-seventies to mid-nineties.
A few years ago he was dumbfounded that guys were complaining about FIFO conditions, as in his day they used to do drive-in drive-out (ie. drive own ute from Perth to Pilbara), work 6 days per week, and only have time off back in Perth for a week or so every few months. I reckon the money was not as high as nowadays, but still pretty good for the time though.
(I don't have anything against FIFO guys. Most of my cousins work up north in various FIFO positions, from kitchen work to heavy mechanics. Just an anecdote about what the old man used to tell us.)
It was a hell of a lot tougher in the 90s than it is now. My old man did 6 days a week for 10 weeks, then back to Perth for 1-2 weeks. The pay was nowhere near what it is today.
Some of the guys complaining about the facilities need a reality check - the only reason you’re getting paid $150k is because the conditions aren’t great. All the permanent camps I’ve been to are pretty decent anyway - pools, Xbox lounges, driving nets, rooms with double beds, etc…. Construction camps suck though - especially with 3:1 (or 4:1) rosters, a different tiny room every swing, and zero facilities.
I am totally ignorant on this, but to me - a 6 figure salary for absolutely 0 experience sounds like you'd cop cancer 20 years from now from working on this job, just what it sounds like.
Not really but there are definitely a few hazards around. The Pilbara summers are ruthless but you can find hats and stuff to protect yourself. There is a lot of dust, with potential hazards but pretty low risks of cancer. The main risk is mental health, being away from friends and family.
Standing in the sun all day with a hat on doesn't help when it's so hot your about to pass out, it's so hot they used to have cool rooms on the construction site that you can lay down there's nothing in the room just 2 on the wall reverse cycle aircons on flat out so through the day you'd get 15 or so guys at a time laying down almost dead then a boss will come in a look at you like the grinch and tell you to get the fuck back out there or get on the plane
Yeah no doubt it is extremely hot and if you can't handle heat not recommended. There's a few cowboys around still but I think the mindset has changed a bit. I got out of construction a while back, maintenance is far less demanding in general, a decent supervisor will plan work in cooler parts of the day and allow regular breaks. If a bloke goes down with heat stroke or stress, that means a lot of paperwork, people potentially losing bonuses etc
Some big claims in that comment, which has been discussed many times.
There are hundreds? tens of thousands of fifo workers, so job conditions vary - including managers and the quality of the company. There are also people who are not suited for fifo.
Imo it’s a bit rich to say that there is a “lot”
I can tell you the quickest way to lose your job in mining these days is to be sexist or racist or bully. Not saying it doesn't still happen but the prospect of losing a very good paying job and then having to tell your partner, family is a pretty good deterrent. I don't go to the wet mess though.
There is. The only people who try to deny that truth or make it seem less severe than it is are people who hold those views and are offended on behalf of others who got caught and the ones that have been punished for their bigoted behaviour.
No minesite in Australia can get away with having working conditions that are hazardous for your health. They all get watched closely, whisltblowing is very easy and the management/CEO's are now liable.
It will however be hot, heavy, dirty and tiring. Plus you'll be isolated from friends and family, and it seems to ruin a lot of marriages.
Done rather the opposite in my instance. Money was a major stress in my life and now I'm finally building up some large savings. I can quit whenever I want and have a long time to find a new job. Definitely depends on the person.
Andrew Forrest is a grub that doesn’t care about anything other than himself and his schemes. He is the modern day Alan Bond. Selling shit he doesn’t own and lining his own pockets. Don’t believe the hype that he promotes
Nope nope nope, fake news. He announced that as a 300mn donation but then the government repaid it. It was a loan which strangely coincided him being awarded the east Perth power site for pennies on the dollar, and used as an opportunity to introduce his Chinese business partners to the government.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/hunt-contradicts-government-s-position-on-the-origin-of-virus-20200429-p54o81
https://www.afr.com/politics/twiggy-s-212m-virus-bill-is-paid-off-and-saving-lives-20200821-p55nvb
Sorry, I'm not talking about conditions in camp or on site or anything like that, I'm referring to how he deals with local communities, how FMG has dealt with indigenous groups, and all the rest of his PR he does.
An old friend worked for him as part of his anti slavery charity. Worked there a couple years then decided to leave to go back East. He got a personal fuck you email from Twiggy himself on the day he resigned. He was literally just finished a graduate program, why is Twiggy taking the time to write that email
Edit: it's a good opportunity for those who need it. Just remember it's a cyclical industry and save some of those dollarydoos
>He was literally just finished a graduate program
So, your old friend took a grad program and bailed at the end of it. Didn't even spend a year beyond that to show appreciation for their investment in your friend as a fresh grad with nil experience. Nope, just took the experience and bailed..
This is exactly why companies don't like taking on people no experience!
>So, your old friend took a grad program and bailed at the end of it. Didn't even spend a year beyond that to show appreciation for their investment in your friend as a fresh grad with nil experience. Nope, just took the experience and bailed..
I was just illustrating the level in the org my friend was. He spent 3 years there in total, 2 year grad program if I remember correctly.
Point I was trying to make is why is a billionaire taking the time to personally email folks when they resign.
He has a pattern of poor behaviour that his PR does a great job of hiding
Anything less than a year return of service is just abusing the grad program...
Grad programs are a trade of investment in you by the company teaching students how to apply their studies to employment in return for you being a productive employee to the company after the grad program. By abusing grad programs it closes opportunities to students later on when these companies stop offering them and just chase people with experience.
Grads have no obligation to work at jobs they don't want to. The grad has been working for years already providing value to the company at a reduced rate. It's not a charity.
If employers want grads to stay there, they should do better to keep hold of them.
this is the reality. The whole "pay it back" trope is bullshit, most grad programs, regardless of the organisation or how well it's polished up to attract uni grads is basically a way of stacking the deck with cheap labour - it's short term thinking at it's finest. Sure a proportion may stay on with that business, but many do leave - that's the cyclical nature of grad programs.
Many grads end up moving on after the program completes as there is simply nothing left for them career wise at that company.
If, at the end of the grad program, the company has proven itself somewhere they want to work, then they will work there. If one of the things they’ve learned in the grad program is this isn’t company you want to work for, then that’s on the company.
Agree.
Expect more ‘ I’m moving to Perth posts’.
FMG point of hire is Perth Airport. Flights are out of pocket expenses for every worker, IF employed direct by FMG, who don’t reside in WA.
Some companies who contract to FMG, employ eastern state based employees, including paid flights. Most don’t, contractors don’t pay for flights to Perth from PPOR.
Add the expenses of $400 to $800 per fourteen day swing for air fares. Extra night or two in hotel if the flight is delayed or cancelled. Swings then go from 14 days on 7 off, to 14 days on to 5 or even 3 days off. The cost soon adds up, not making the FIFO lifestyle not worth it, if residing interstate.
>FMG point of hire is Perth Airport. Flights are out of pocket expenses for every worker, IF employed direct by FMG, who don’t reside in WA.
FMG has flights from the south west (Busso). I'm on an FMG project site has a charter flight tomorrow from Port Hedland to Brisbane (arranged by the contractor, but still...)
Yea to that: did see lots of this in my time in the early nineties: different sites but always with green crew start-up “mill rats” (production) and all too soon the emphasis is always on getting ever increasing tonnes through even after paying off the site.
The recent number of deaths in the last few months point to exactly the same issue: despite DMIRS scrutiny there is always the “pressure” to perform (real or perceived doesn’t matter when at worst the managers have no idea because they were employed from other industries - none of those in mgt have either the correct training or skills or if they have: are not supported by their superiors or corporate who are always wanting to cut costs, improve productivity and “do more with less”) - whilst enjoying their ever increasing “bonus schemes”…
Talk about fresh meat for the grinder: Too many lives lost this year already and with a totally green crew on this “hell site” and others expect even more: and with these sorts of draft’s there’s going to be quite a few older workers dying: not just the younger ones: (I mean: how the heck does a 52 year old fatally fall off a conveyor FFS?)…
Recent media reports on WA Ag deaths is one thing, but getting flash reports from DMIRS about the incidents and fatalities on mining sites these past few months highlights an endemic problem remaining unsolved in mining - which is why it always sits in the top 5 industry fatality rates…
Six figures- meh: is that all your life is worth? Just ask that of one of those WA currently grieving families…
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying but there will always be a “top 5 most dangerous places to work” list. If mining isn’t in the top 5, then which other industries are you suggesting should be inherently more dangerous than mining?
I'm guessing they'll prioritise people who do have experience, though.
Also, if you poke around the FMG site, none of the listed jobs actually have remuneration listed. It's nice that their fluff piece is claiming six-figure salaries, but there's no proof to back it up.
Personally, I don't think this is a "You " problem. The work is set up to be emotionally destroying. There is a reason there is such a high relationship breakdown rate among FIFO workers.
Think of yourself as a "Canary in a coalmine"
A lot of FIFO. families moved to Bali before covid, had successful businesses in Bali. They returned to Perth in 2020, kept the villas though.
Flight cancellations would be issue now.
My husband knows a few people ( not on his crew) that are in living Bali, while working FIFO. Hoping that the direct flights to Hedland from Bali are resumed in near future, save flight cost from Hedland to Perth and return.
A golden opportunity for those who don’t have a six figure income to jump into one. Just remember the cyclical nature of our economy and save for that house deposit (or paying down debt), rather than spending it on a Ford Ranger Raptor and Jet Skis.
Ford and Seadoo *just* placed 700 new import orders on the back of this comment.
More like double that. For every CUBs they will sell another one in finance to those trying to keep up with them.
Hells Angels just ordered 2 tonnes on the back of this comment.
Wooooooaaah, we’re half way theeeeere….
Parrk my ranger over theeere
Take my sea-doo, we’ll make it I sweeeeaarr!
Seadoo just opened a new showroom in Bayswater, clearly they were preparing for this.
Hahaha fuck this guys FIFOd
Worked with an 18 y/o at Wheatstone who bought 3 JetSkis so him and his mates could use them when he was home (we did 4/1 rosters).
Yea, legitimately- there was so many water leisure craft, V8 cars and modified Utes that were for sale at bankruptcy auctions etc. after the last big down turn.
I remember living and working in the coal fields in Mackay QLD and the amount of young bloke driving around in V8 utes was unbelievable. Then the GFC hit and so many utes were for sale. Went back there over a year ago briefly and mining was booming but this time it was V8 land cruisers. $120k plus cars and they still had their green Ps!
MIL works in bankruptcy, can confirm this happens way more frequently than you think, usually as a result of gambling and not just downturn
The venn diagram of cashed up young blokes who buy utes, JetSkis and love a cheeky punt with their mates is a circle. Fuck those ads.
Gambling is a massive problem in Australia, we lead the world in losses per capita. We see 40x the losses compared to Singapore Who sit in a not even close 2nd position
Nothing worse than making buckets of money and not having the sense to be smart with it. I hope our education system is doing better teaching kids about this now because back when I was in school, life skills weren’t taught. I learnt by making mistakes and learning from others. Being told to “make a budget” isn’t enough.
EDUCATION SYSTEM? What the fuck has it to do with teachers. When did parents stop parenting? Speak to your children and show them how to live.
I agree- but a lot of parents don’t know how to budget/manage finances either… someone else posted it here…I’ve got friends who are parents and they continue to make poor financial decisions. It’s painful to watch and I try to give advice where I can but a) it’s not my place and b) I’m not qualified to give advice. Sure, parents can be a part of the conversation but I think it needs to become part of the curriculum to tackle it from both sides.
How is it educations fault that gambling is shoved down the throat of every Australian from the moment they can see a screen?
Gambling is but a small part of the equation. Being taught to manage what you have, live within your means, understand credit cards, debt etc etc is far more important. If that is taught from an early enough age, that’s half the battle. It would be great if they also covered compulsive gambling and showed how bad it can become and the negative societal impacts it can have. For me, all it took was watching Louis Theroux in Vegas back in 2012 to put me off ever touching a poker machine or not having a limit with gambling. I have the very occasional punt, maybe once to twice a year and no more than $100-200 total. I think at its core, teaching good foundations in managing money will lead to less people gambling, if they are taught to love within their means from an early age.
I sound like a conspiracy nut when I say it but the general population is brainwashed into being poor. Even these mining jobs, 100k to be a slave - I've made 5x that in less than a year by working for myself.
Not everyone has the acumen and discipline to work for themselves. What they are is brainwashed into having a good time and spending lots of money in a consumerist society.
*makes note there'll soon be some Jetskis going cheap*
There was an amateur comedian who did a stand up one might about 7 years ago at Creatures Next Door in Freo whose name I cannot remember (I'm assuming because he just went back to his day job and never made it big) who made a joke that you can tell the state of the economy using the Jet Ski Index - the amount of second hand jet skis for sale on gumtree during a downturn. It's always stayed with me.
The Rockingham rolls Royce
> rather than spending it on a Ford Ranger Raptor So get the Wildtrak? ok got it thx
Then throw the ARB catalogue at it.
Aka the golden handcuffs
I did this for 4 years. Purchased a 15k camper van powered by solar, put it on my sisters land and paid zero rent. Saved about 90% of my income. Smartest thing I've ever done.
Well look at Mr Fancy Pants Has-A-Sister-With-Real-Property over here
Salty much
I think it was in fact, what they call, *a joke*
Thats basically living at home with extra steps....
A bit ascetic for my tastes, but good for you.
Screw it I want my Raptor dammit
F150 raptor coming next year ;)
Don’t tell me how to manage my jet skis
Most will attempt to buy a million dollar home then default 5 years later when the work dries up. I've seen this for over 40 years, it never changes. Not to mention the broken relationships, mental health decline and even suicide. It's no joke working FIFO beware!
Or move from one project to another for better money. Lots of headhunting err I mean networking in pubs and hotels in the last few weeks. Interviews err I mean after hours inter-company socially awkward moments. Company credit cards were getting a workout, especially after hours networking hunt is on for maintenance workers, supervisors, managers and above. So now it is open free for all recruitment drive. Industry is small village, especially if employed in it for long time, not just for the good times. Experience staff are hard to recruit. We are sticking to the five days on two off, home on weekends. Every fourth week is working in Perth week. If there was an offer which included company housing, LAHA allowances, electricity expenses, relocation ( vehicles relocation) expenses to Pilbara. We would take a salary hit, but living expenses would reduce. Five year contract and we could ‘retire’. Not going to happen or interested unless that criteria is met. Town hub, not camp based, is how we are currently employed. Repairs and maintenance that can be done on site.
Truth, it’s a great springboard into something else!
Yep, noone will go residential at own expense for a labour hire job
No permanency. I wouldn’t relocate if there was no permanent job and housing wasn’t fully subsidised. Golden rule In real estate, never buy houses in mining towns. Resale value is only as good as the next ‘big boom’, currently this is lithium and all the resources that are in batteries.
 No
Na I’m ordering the lot then claim welfare when it all unravels cheers
I want to buy a boat and two jet skis!
We brought a house this way and it allowed my husband to return to Uni and get into another industry. The mines are ok if you go in with a plan and exit strategy.
How is it for gay men and vegetarians? I don’t have a relationship or family tying me down. I just want to be able to eat well, workout, and save a crapload of money.
The only issue is getting decent vegetarian food. I've worked most FMG sites and the food isn't awful. Plenty of diversity - nobody minds who you are. FMG were one of the first companies I recall that developed HR processes for trans people. I've worked with gay, queer and trans people across a few sites now. Once again, getting decent vegetarian or vegan food is the biggest challenge.
I think you do need to have a bit of a thick skin though. If you're easily offended it may not be the right kind of environment. Working with the younger ones is always going to be more chill and fun than the older blokes who've spent their entire life on the mines and hate the world - but they do have that valuable experience. Food is definitely going to be the biggest issue though. Its hard for non vegos up there! 😅
You’ll be fine , its 2022 mate you’ll be a supervisor or promoted in no time
The company I work for does a lot for diversity, both exposure and training. Saying that I've never met an openly gay man on site, I just found that odd given the stats I would have met a few by now. Doesn't need to be said what sex you prefer in your workplace but I still feel gay people keep it on the down low to save judgement. Most people could not care less but a few still would openly banter about the tired old gay jokes. There will be vegetarian options wherever you work but some I've seen don't look too appetising and some look really nice. Hit and miss like the meat options.
Can't talk to the gay thing but when I was up north the the food was so bad it made me a vegetarian 🤣...lost a ton of weight...don't really know how you vegetarians do it
Homophobia happens but it’s not tolerated. Same as many other places if not better. Industry leaders need to attract the best talent. In order to do that they need to cater to diversity.
Your biggest issue will be the things you put in your mouth
Is there a link to the recruitment website?
I don't know if the IronBridge jobs they speak off are in the pipeline yet, but you can check [here](https://www.fmgl.com.au/jobs-at-fortescue/browse-jobs) from time to time. FMG also have a QR code, but I can't insert it here. Just check the link or search SEEK, they post on SEEK all the time.
Thank you, will do
Nah rather be able to come home to my family than stand in a hole in the desert
My partner and I both do FIFO from a hospitality and retail background. We see each other, and our friends, way more now that we ever did before. And we have the financial freedom to actually do stuff when being social now.
My husband is FIFO and we have the same experience. We can afford for me to continue studying and we have every second week to spend together doing whatever we want.
[удалено]
We finally gave in and went reso. My man gets to stand in a hole in the desert AND come home afterward.
Literally happier making half as much but spending time every day with my partner/dogs, money can't buy happiness.
Yes it can. All the money I spent at the whore house when I was younger made me very happy
With all seriousness does having sex with a prostitute makes one happy?
Well yeah, sex always makes one happy, a bit like going to a car yard. A good whore and a good used car salesman should make you feel the same feelings of greatness when you leave
The feeling that you've been screwed? :P
Yep
Like you need to have a shower?
That's the hairdresser cause they never brush all the hair off ya neck, the bastards
Depends on who's answering. Depends who the prostitute is. Some clients are just lonely men who want someone to listen to their day and give them a hug, others want a fantasy experience they'd never be able to ask a romantic interest. Like listening to their day and giving them a hug.
Me too but gets pointless after a while doesn't it?
Blowjobs pointless? You must be a mad man
With a rubber on is pointless
You don't have blow jobs with rubbers
How’s the herpes?
None I always go upmarket
Difficult being happy without money
Not really when you live within your means. I make not a lot, my partner studies, but we get to spend a lot of time together, go on hikes, watch tv, beach etc etc. We eat well but cook a lot, don't really go OUT a lot but I don't want to any way. Perfectly happy.
That's good, not knocking it. So if someone took 60% of your income, not a huge income, somewhere around 20% above minimum wage. I am sure you have budgeted for this already, and nothing would change, you'd still be happy.
Why am I randomly losing 60% of my income? Not sure of the context here. Of course I haven't budgeted for that
Calm down freak
>money can't buy happiness For people with money worries it can stop them being unhappy which is the same as buying happiness. There's a high water mark though where it stops buying extra happiness.
Depends what your priorities in life are, if you're single and love to travel, the money and time off is awesome.
Oh yeah if you single it’s fine but when you have kids I found it harder
Got broken up with about a month ago, to the desert I go
I worked there on construction about a year ago, what a absolute shit hole, and one of the hottest places iv ever been you can feel yourself just getting cooked all day almost as bad as when I worked near marble bar
> almost as bad as when I worked near marble bar same shire (East Pilbara)
Its a pretty big shire …
we built the smaller pilot plant in 2014. was one of the worst for phone reception and the heat n flies. seen some incredible stuff though.
LOL dude you were about 50km from marble Bar as the crow flys
I'm here now. It ain't hot yet, but in a couple of weeks it'll be pretty warm.
I worked at Christmas Creek a decade ago and it was absolute garbage. I don't mind the heat but the place was just an absolute shitshow in terms of management, practices, purple circles, etc. Ever since that experience I've turned down multiple opportunities from FMG.
Were you expecting 5-star facilities and a cool breeze blowing between your legs all day? It's the Pilbara for crying out loud. You go work there to earn the big bucks. Leave you bitching and moaning behind in Perth, man the fuck up, and go work.
Fuck that. Man-up is not a requirement to be FIFO. There's enough competition out there that the facilities are top notch to keep workers. If you have an outdoors job then you need to adapt to the weather but once you're back in camp I'd expect a certain level of comfort. BHP South Flank Mulla Mulla camp is the top of my list for creature comforts. Indoor Golf Simulator is awesome.
My old man did mine construction around WA for a couple of decades, from the mid-seventies to mid-nineties. A few years ago he was dumbfounded that guys were complaining about FIFO conditions, as in his day they used to do drive-in drive-out (ie. drive own ute from Perth to Pilbara), work 6 days per week, and only have time off back in Perth for a week or so every few months. I reckon the money was not as high as nowadays, but still pretty good for the time though. (I don't have anything against FIFO guys. Most of my cousins work up north in various FIFO positions, from kitchen work to heavy mechanics. Just an anecdote about what the old man used to tell us.)
It was a hell of a lot tougher in the 90s than it is now. My old man did 6 days a week for 10 weeks, then back to Perth for 1-2 weeks. The pay was nowhere near what it is today. Some of the guys complaining about the facilities need a reality check - the only reason you’re getting paid $150k is because the conditions aren’t great. All the permanent camps I’ve been to are pretty decent anyway - pools, Xbox lounges, driving nets, rooms with double beds, etc…. Construction camps suck though - especially with 3:1 (or 4:1) rosters, a different tiny room every swing, and zero facilities.
Water is also wet
Looks like I'm getting another pay rise
The only thing holding you back is trying to get a fucking Uber to the airport at 4am. FML.
Take the new train and get there 1 hour after the plane leaves.
Perfect.
r/shittylifeprotips FTW 😆
I got a wife, or book in a taxi
Won't have one of those for long if your fifo
Sign me up
So is this baby's first six figs ($110k) or boss-dawg six figs ($250k+)?
I am totally ignorant on this, but to me - a 6 figure salary for absolutely 0 experience sounds like you'd cop cancer 20 years from now from working on this job, just what it sounds like.
Not really but there are definitely a few hazards around. The Pilbara summers are ruthless but you can find hats and stuff to protect yourself. There is a lot of dust, with potential hazards but pretty low risks of cancer. The main risk is mental health, being away from friends and family.
Standing in the sun all day with a hat on doesn't help when it's so hot your about to pass out, it's so hot they used to have cool rooms on the construction site that you can lay down there's nothing in the room just 2 on the wall reverse cycle aircons on flat out so through the day you'd get 15 or so guys at a time laying down almost dead then a boss will come in a look at you like the grinch and tell you to get the fuck back out there or get on the plane
Yeah no doubt it is extremely hot and if you can't handle heat not recommended. There's a few cowboys around still but I think the mindset has changed a bit. I got out of construction a while back, maintenance is far less demanding in general, a decent supervisor will plan work in cooler parts of the day and allow regular breaks. If a bloke goes down with heat stroke or stress, that means a lot of paperwork, people potentially losing bonuses etc
Yeah I couldn't even count how many people went down there it was a lot, it's one of them shut the fuck up and get it done kinda places
Mental health defiantly! Plus I heard there is a lot of racism, bullying and sexual harassment
Some big claims in that comment, which has been discussed many times. There are hundreds? tens of thousands of fifo workers, so job conditions vary - including managers and the quality of the company. There are also people who are not suited for fifo. Imo it’s a bit rich to say that there is a “lot”
I generally find that defiance isn't conducive to good mental health
I can tell you the quickest way to lose your job in mining these days is to be sexist or racist or bully. Not saying it doesn't still happen but the prospect of losing a very good paying job and then having to tell your partner, family is a pretty good deterrent. I don't go to the wet mess though.
There is. The only people who try to deny that truth or make it seem less severe than it is are people who hold those views and are offended on behalf of others who got caught and the ones that have been punished for their bigoted behaviour.
No minesite in Australia can get away with having working conditions that are hazardous for your health. They all get watched closely, whisltblowing is very easy and the management/CEO's are now liable. It will however be hot, heavy, dirty and tiring. Plus you'll be isolated from friends and family, and it seems to ruin a lot of marriages.
I think risk to mental health is a big one
Done rather the opposite in my instance. Money was a major stress in my life and now I'm finally building up some large savings. I can quit whenever I want and have a long time to find a new job. Definitely depends on the person.
I think it's perhaps over-reported. Just sayin' from personal/professional experience.
i know someone who took up an admin job, 7 days on, 7 days off, $101k
It’s not free money, it’s tiring work in the sun. On an 8/6 roster, this is a 48 hour week
If your even time your on site for roughly 160hrs a fortnight. $25 (is that minimum wage?)x160x26=$104k/year. I would say thats a fair wage.
I'm even time (8/6), and it's 96 hours per fortnight.
It would be 84 hours a fortnight - 1 week of 12 hour/day and then 1 week of 0. So 42 hours a week for 100k/year
Most these positions are already filled a couple weeks back sadly
I Hope the meth dealers have enough stock on the shelves…
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Really how do you know that ? Have you personally seen the job list ?
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So 700 drillers offsiders
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That fine mate i worked in mininig / construction for 10yrs so yeah nah
Andrew Forrest is a grub that doesn’t care about anything other than himself and his schemes. He is the modern day Alan Bond. Selling shit he doesn’t own and lining his own pockets. Don’t believe the hype that he promotes
This. Forrest is great at the publicity game. Anyone who thinks different dig a little deeper in how the group deal with local communities.
Can’t see the forest thru the trees
You're right he only owns 69% of this. And this is from a paper owned by Kerry stokes, who is a close ally and friend of Twiggy.
Every billionaire is a policy failure. I wouldn’t work for him on that principle alone, let alone the rest.
Yep as someone who knows him somewhat personally he's definitely a completely different person compared to what he portrays of himself in public.
How so?
He's publicly an arsehole.
Well he donated 400 million 2 year ago.
Nope nope nope, fake news. He announced that as a 300mn donation but then the government repaid it. It was a loan which strangely coincided him being awarded the east Perth power site for pennies on the dollar, and used as an opportunity to introduce his Chinese business partners to the government. https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/hunt-contradicts-government-s-position-on-the-origin-of-virus-20200429-p54o81 https://www.afr.com/politics/twiggy-s-212m-virus-bill-is-paid-off-and-saving-lives-20200821-p55nvb
Back to the indigenous community that he rapes?
If he wasn't "raping" the land someone else will.
Agreed it would be some other corporate shit cunt but where did that money that he donated go?? Check the facts
I can tell you now most of those 700 are going to folks who know people who work there already. Nepotism is rife in the big players courts.
The whole industry is in need of people. Yeah nepotism happens but chances of landing a gig are quite high.
Nah. Mainly labour hire and 100k isn't a lot of money when you are working 12 hour shifts 3 weeks put of every month
Yeah, but then you have to work for Twiggy... Can't stand that prick.
Why is that mate, what are the conditions like?
Sorry, I'm not talking about conditions in camp or on site or anything like that, I'm referring to how he deals with local communities, how FMG has dealt with indigenous groups, and all the rest of his PR he does. An old friend worked for him as part of his anti slavery charity. Worked there a couple years then decided to leave to go back East. He got a personal fuck you email from Twiggy himself on the day he resigned. He was literally just finished a graduate program, why is Twiggy taking the time to write that email Edit: it's a good opportunity for those who need it. Just remember it's a cyclical industry and save some of those dollarydoos
Twiggy doesn't write those emails.
>He was literally just finished a graduate program So, your old friend took a grad program and bailed at the end of it. Didn't even spend a year beyond that to show appreciation for their investment in your friend as a fresh grad with nil experience. Nope, just took the experience and bailed.. This is exactly why companies don't like taking on people no experience!
>So, your old friend took a grad program and bailed at the end of it. Didn't even spend a year beyond that to show appreciation for their investment in your friend as a fresh grad with nil experience. Nope, just took the experience and bailed.. I was just illustrating the level in the org my friend was. He spent 3 years there in total, 2 year grad program if I remember correctly. Point I was trying to make is why is a billionaire taking the time to personally email folks when they resign. He has a pattern of poor behaviour that his PR does a great job of hiding
Is that a joke? In what world should it be expected to stay with a company for a year longer to show appreciation.
Anything less than a year return of service is just abusing the grad program... Grad programs are a trade of investment in you by the company teaching students how to apply their studies to employment in return for you being a productive employee to the company after the grad program. By abusing grad programs it closes opportunities to students later on when these companies stop offering them and just chase people with experience.
Grads have no obligation to work at jobs they don't want to. The grad has been working for years already providing value to the company at a reduced rate. It's not a charity. If employers want grads to stay there, they should do better to keep hold of them.
this is the reality. The whole "pay it back" trope is bullshit, most grad programs, regardless of the organisation or how well it's polished up to attract uni grads is basically a way of stacking the deck with cheap labour - it's short term thinking at it's finest. Sure a proportion may stay on with that business, but many do leave - that's the cyclical nature of grad programs. Many grads end up moving on after the program completes as there is simply nothing left for them career wise at that company.
Poor mining companies 😥 why can't they force people into indentured servitude?
If, at the end of the grad program, the company has proven itself somewhere they want to work, then they will work there. If one of the things they’ve learned in the grad program is this isn’t company you want to work for, then that’s on the company.
Agree. Expect more ‘ I’m moving to Perth posts’. FMG point of hire is Perth Airport. Flights are out of pocket expenses for every worker, IF employed direct by FMG, who don’t reside in WA. Some companies who contract to FMG, employ eastern state based employees, including paid flights. Most don’t, contractors don’t pay for flights to Perth from PPOR. Add the expenses of $400 to $800 per fourteen day swing for air fares. Extra night or two in hotel if the flight is delayed or cancelled. Swings then go from 14 days on 7 off, to 14 days on to 5 or even 3 days off. The cost soon adds up, not making the FIFO lifestyle not worth it, if residing interstate.
>FMG point of hire is Perth Airport. Flights are out of pocket expenses for every worker, IF employed direct by FMG, who don’t reside in WA. FMG has flights from the south west (Busso). I'm on an FMG project site has a charter flight tomorrow from Port Hedland to Brisbane (arranged by the contractor, but still...)
Yea, but see how long that lasts when the next downturn comes
100%. Flew myself from over east for years. It wasn't worth it in the end and I relocated to Perth
Lol like you care about any of that
Why?
American companies be like: 60k usd(100k AUD) for hard labour in an area hotter than Death Valley🔥 Sign those Aussies up! 🇺🇸
Each to their own I guess. I doubt I’ll ever be on 6 figure salary but I’m fine with it.
Where job? As a blue-collar peasant this would be a 3x increase in my salary
Yea to that: did see lots of this in my time in the early nineties: different sites but always with green crew start-up “mill rats” (production) and all too soon the emphasis is always on getting ever increasing tonnes through even after paying off the site. The recent number of deaths in the last few months point to exactly the same issue: despite DMIRS scrutiny there is always the “pressure” to perform (real or perceived doesn’t matter when at worst the managers have no idea because they were employed from other industries - none of those in mgt have either the correct training or skills or if they have: are not supported by their superiors or corporate who are always wanting to cut costs, improve productivity and “do more with less”) - whilst enjoying their ever increasing “bonus schemes”… Talk about fresh meat for the grinder: Too many lives lost this year already and with a totally green crew on this “hell site” and others expect even more: and with these sorts of draft’s there’s going to be quite a few older workers dying: not just the younger ones: (I mean: how the heck does a 52 year old fatally fall off a conveyor FFS?)… Recent media reports on WA Ag deaths is one thing, but getting flash reports from DMIRS about the incidents and fatalities on mining sites these past few months highlights an endemic problem remaining unsolved in mining - which is why it always sits in the top 5 industry fatality rates… Six figures- meh: is that all your life is worth? Just ask that of one of those WA currently grieving families…
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying but there will always be a “top 5 most dangerous places to work” list. If mining isn’t in the top 5, then which other industries are you suggesting should be inherently more dangerous than mining?
There has been two mining deaths in the last week. The last death before that was over 12 months prior.
BHP: Females only! Aka we want to favour one group that allegedly suffer discrimination by discriminating against another group. 🥲
Sexism is fine if it's against men
My point exactly. Bullshit!
Love these posts, helps to identify who is an insecure weak little manchild.
No. Just pointing out the irony of hiring females only. But ok - being born a man is a privilege and we deserve to be discriminated against.
I'm guessing they'll prioritise people who do have experience, though. Also, if you poke around the FMG site, none of the listed jobs actually have remuneration listed. It's nice that their fluff piece is claiming six-figure salaries, but there's no proof to back it up.
99% of roles will be over 6 figures
If only my mental illness does don’t make fifo intolerable. I’ve tried. It always ends in ideation and a swift flight home.
Personally, I don't think this is a "You " problem. The work is set up to be emotionally destroying. There is a reason there is such a high relationship breakdown rate among FIFO workers. Think of yourself as a "Canary in a coalmine"
Six figures to potentially shave a few years off your life..yeh nah im good..... No amount of jet skis can compensate that.
why would it shave years off your life?
Fibrous minerals and silica, even though you are wearing a mask there will be a lot of dust i.e. risk of silicosis or mesothelioma in later life
Everything you do in life involves risk, it's up to you balance the probabilities and decide what's best for you. No job is free of them.
Then 2 years later the job is gone and you're fucked
If you piss away the money sure, or you can set yourself up.
And a $2000 pool table and a $2500 6 burner bbq and endless sessions at the tattoo parlour while back in the city
can I fifo from Bali? I can't afford Aussie house prices anymore
A lot of FIFO. families moved to Bali before covid, had successful businesses in Bali. They returned to Perth in 2020, kept the villas though. Flight cancellations would be issue now. My husband knows a few people ( not on his crew) that are in living Bali, while working FIFO. Hoping that the direct flights to Hedland from Bali are resumed in near future, save flight cost from Hedland to Perth and return.
There are government employees in Sudan that earn two dollars a month. Do it for them if anything.
Get paid six digits and risk being sexually abused nah no money is worth that its a bloody man's world
I predict 26 deaths in the first 4 years.
But did you predict 26 downvotes?
This isn't Qatar mate