Manager asking staff to work through break.

[Eric Cantona]

We have just gone through the revision at my office and we start work everyday at 6 30 am finish at 2pm Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 2.30 pm finish. Every day we have been told to take our break at 8.20 am till 9 am because we are waiting for the walk sequenced boxes coming in at 9 am. Now the boxes are arriving at 8.15 am so most of us are on break, now the manager is going around asking people to work their 40 minutes break and he will pay them, surely this must be illegal?
They put that break at that time thinking staff would work through but its back fired now..

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

We have just gone through the revision at my office and we start work everyday at 6 30 am finish at 2pm Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 2.30 pm finish. Every day we have been told to take our break at 8.20 am till 9 am because we are waiting for the walk sequenced boxes coming in at 9 am. Now the boxes are arriving at 8.15 am so most of us are on break, now the manager is going around asking people to work their 40 minutes break and he will pay them, surely this must be illegal?
They put that break at that time thinking staff would work through but its back fired now..

manager is not breaking any law, its not illegal to ask as long as he is only asking, but as soon as he tries to put any pressure or take the break away he is then breaking the law

[BettySwollocks]

We have just gone through the revision at my office and we start work everyday at 6 30 am finish at 2pm Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 2.30 pm finish. Every day we have been told to take our break at 8.20 am till 9 am because we are waiting for the walk sequenced boxes coming in at 9 am. Now the boxes are arriving at 8.15 am so most of us are on break, now the manager is going around asking people to work their 40 minutes break and he will pay them, surely this must be illegal?
They put that break at that time thinking staff would work through but its back fired now..

It sounds like the majority of staff in your office actually take their break,
out of an office with approx' 60 staff, we have maybe 1 or 2 who take the full entitled 40 mins,
and maybe 15 who might take half (20 mins) but even some of them come in upto an hour early unpaid.
seriousley ..... beggars belief.

[robd]

I can't believe how stupid this sounds,your manager has structured a break within your shift,that he knows will impact on the workplan,and then he is willing to pay you subsidy to work through it!!!
Not illegal,in my humble opinion,but needs flagging up,your manager is only keen to pay this,so it stops him from dealing with the inevitable and unmanageable cutoffs later on.
get your rep to fire a point of principle disagreement in mate.

[islfor]

H&S issue, flag it up to your area rep NOW !!

[postie222]

Your employer must give you at least the rest breaks required by the Working Time Regulations. They must also ensure that your health and safety is not put at risk. This means that your employer might have to give you more than the amount set out in the regulations, if this reduces a health and safety risk.
Taken from goverment website http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ ... G_10029451" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[fishtank]

manager is not breaking any law, its not illegal to ask as long as he is only asking, but as soon as he tries to put any pressure or take the break away he is then breaking the law

The subject of Meal Breaks is very complex in law because you are dealing with rights that can be surrendered but it is generally accepted that an employer should not be seen to actively "encourage" a breach in working time regulations such as not having a break at all....if indeed that's what he is saying and not asking them to postpone it.
Obviously it would have to be tested at ET but i would say with around 90% certainty what his manager is doing is unlawful.

The real question is whether the members swallow it or tell him to f**k off.....it's not really difficult is it?

[bandit650]

We have just gone through the revision at my office and we start work everyday at 6 30 am finish at 2pm Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 2.30 pm finish. Every day we have been told to take our break at 8.20 am till 9 am because we are waiting for the walk sequenced boxes coming in at 9 am. Now the boxes are arriving at 8.15 am so most of us are on break, now the manager is going around asking people to work their 40 minutes break and he will pay them, surely this must be illegal?
They put that break at that time thinking staff would work through but its back fired now..

Can't believe they have structured a revision with you on break when you have work coming in but more importantly Wed,Thur,Fri,Sat you are working more than 5 hours without a break,i believe that under the Working Time Directive you should have your meal relief in the middle of your duty and it should not form any part of the end of your duty so the structure of your day is already wrong also they have to comply with Health and Safety which means that you should take the break that the company has told you to so your DOM is abit DIM because he/she has just told you to break the law and will pay you for the privilege Ask you Dim DOM if this matter of work coming in on your m/r is under the review process or is he/she going to ignore that as well!

[George door to dawes]

Sounds like a slippery slope to me. First they will convince you to work through your break for extra pay. Then eventually there will be no money to pay you for your break due to cut backs etc but you will expected to work through your breaks still.