Banning Smoke Breaks

[Throbnob]

In a team brief our MC (South of Greenland, North of the Second World War) has just announced its intention to ban fag breaks. This is across all shifts; not sure if this is part of some national deal, but the claim was that if two of the three shifts decided to outlaw secret puffs, the third must follow. Here, Earlies and Lates have said No: we nightbirds must concur. And managers MUST OBEY, as much as scum like us.

I'm a non smoker so generally I don't give a s**t. I'd like to see the piss-takers taken care of - OK, I'd like to see them sacked, so maybe I do give a turd sometimes - but I have no problem with grafters taking the odd minute here or there...

What do you all think?

[fishtank]

The problem is if you ban smoke breaks because of efficiency what about coffee guzzlers,mobile phone addicts and the tossers that always "invent" something important to talk to management about,then there is the 10 minute pissers,the constant munchers and the guys that just stare into space for 5 minutes,mouth open and drooling.
The list is not exhaustive.

[noggin1969]

Then theres the one that goes to the bog just as you're called on IPS and spends half an hour in there trying to pass a breeze block.

[arnold cheshire]

what about the ones that adore a female member of staff?

[DGP1]

what about the ones that adore a female member of staff?

I adore all female members of staff............of course that's usually in my head while I'm prepping so that's ok then

[Judgee]

Or the people that can't go on the IPS because they are doing overtime... they get paid for it while everyone else has to do thier IPS sorting for them!

[wearewolves]

i must admit myself and a few workers and even managers at our place sneek off for a fag.

[Broxi51]

Whats this about fag breaks??????????? We dont have that!!! When we go in, we go onto ips and we stay there until all mail is sorted.
Then we can nip out for a fag since it doesnt hold others up.
I like the sound of fag breaks

[Pinky 1]

Whats this about fag breaks??????????? We dont have that!!! When we go in, we go onto ips and we stay there until all mail is sorted.
Then we can nip out for a fag since it doesnt hold others up.
I like the sound of fag breaks

This is what happens at our place, but i think the OP is referring to a Mail Centre. I don't think our smokers could go a whole shift without a smoke

[TrueBlueTerrier]

As a non smoker who has never smoked can I add fuel to the fire.

I think Smokers should get a break, but .............. they should not get any more than non smokers. So if MC staff are given 1 hour rest breaks then perhaps smokers can bank their breaks, ie if they disappear for a 5 or 10 minute drag then they volunatrily give up 5 - 10 minutes of their meal break - or - stay behind that extra 10 minutes. Result is they get their breaks and nicotene addiction, but non smokers are not unfairly treated.

On deliveries, TBH I am not that bothered, the time they take away from their frame is their choice and its also hard to police once they are out on delivery as long as they do their fair share I couldn't be less bothered - its the ones that can't sort and talk at the same time that get my goat.

[noggin1969]

With TBT

[hotfudge]

i dont have an issue with somebody nipping off for the odd fag but it's the ones that go on the hour every hour and are gone for ten mins a time, now that gets my f***ing goat.

[andy2007]

We had smoke breaks banned at the RDC about 10 or 11 years ago, because the non-smokers were complaining about others getting more breaks than them. And quite frankly, I agree with them. Everyone should have the same. At the time, I was quite a heavy smoker, so I ended up getting through a lot of Nicotine Gum, to get through to the breaks (knowing I couldn't nip out for one, made the cravings even worse!). But it's just something that we had to cope with, to keep it fair for the non-smokers.

[fishtank]

With TBT on this one , smokers shouldn't get any extra breaks it should be taken out of their normal breaks , you wouldn't be allowed to nip off from work for a quick fix or a pint so why should the nicotine junkies get extra privilege

As i said though how do you tackle the other numerous piss-takers or do you just ignore them because smokers are an easier and more politically correct target?

[mazza111]

When i was on indoor work in DO, I had a manager (not our own) complain about my smoke breaks, when my own manager questioned it, I told him I was quite happy to give up my couple of fag breaks if u would find someone to cover the locker and give me a real break. So while you always see smokers outside, maybe they are giving something else up to have this privilege .

This way suited us both as i could have my coffee when working and nip out and have a smoke when it was quiet, i got my full allocation of tea break, he didn't need to find cover.