The Bear Minimum

In just under two months I have to renegotiate my contract. I wonder how it shall go this time…

I know, along with everything else going on in my life right now, my poor wife who’s still recovering after her car accident, dealing with my mentally ill mother, the idea of renegotiating a contract for the next three years is another stress that I don’t really need. However in the past, this is the third time I’ve done this, after working for nine years at this particular mental health clinic, I’m more comfortable with the whole process.

This time around, taking into consideration what my wife is going through, I want to be sure that my health benefits are top notch. My employer was considering group health insurance, and that is something that I’m not overly familiar with, so bears further investigation. There’s not many of us at the clinic, and as we negotiate our contracts individually, I’d rather health benefits tailored to me (and therefore the other workers at the clinic) specifically.

Then there’s the pensions schemes. Perhaps, it the not too distant future, I might like to retire and start enjoying those restful years that we’re supposed to get. It’s not terribly likely just yet, but still something that, for this contract, I want to have included.

I’m quite happy working where I work, and I’m happy that I’ll continue to be working there for the next three years. I also enjoy the tri-yearly challenge of negotiating my own contract. It’s something you have to get mentally prepared for, and quite often I feel like I’ve worked my bosses round to a very good deal for me. I do recognise, however, that for those more timid workers, getting a good deal for oneself is difficult, so it’s not for everyone.