Meal Breaks?

[Fluke]

I have been having an ongoing row with one of the dimwit managers in my place about meal breaks. He keeps trying to force them to take a break whilst waiting for missorts and before they go out. I am fed up of pointing out to him that under SDD posties can plan their own breaks as long at it doesn't effect the service, besides who the hell wants a dinner break 3 hours after breakfast?

Apart from the SDD agreement is there anything else I can use to push the point? Thanks

[brothermagrew]

Check your 318 and look to see where it is scheduled for timing of meal break.

[johnnyp]

Theres this from The Way Forward Agreement

MEAL BREAKS




Introduction

This agreement commences from 3 April 2000, and establishes a new national standard in relation to meal relief entitlements, together with a process for all offices to achieve it. This agreement replaces all existing national and local agreements on meal relief entitlements and provision. The new entitlements will be introduced alongside SWW as part of the performance improvement programme agreed within the context of PBS.

Fill-time meal break entitlements

All full-time employees working in delivery offices on a 40-hour gross week over five or six days will generally have a standard entitlement to 40 minutes meal break per day and 30 minutes on the shorter day (normally Saturday) of a six day attendance, exclusive of any grace breaks (see below).

All full-time employees working in Mail Centres on a 40-hour gross week, generally over five days, will have a standard entitlement to 40 minutes meal break per day (this means that up to 60 minutes per day total breaks can be provided by scheduling Relaxation Breaks by joint local agreement – see below).

Other full-time employees on standard attendance patterns will have the same entitlements as in delivery.

Where there are unusual duty patterns (e.g. long or short attendance patterns, or jobs with fewer than attendances per week) the meal break entitlement will be determined on a daily basis for each attendance from the table of entitlements below.

Where the proper entitlement (i.e. based on the national standard and the table below) is currently exceeded, meal breaks in the offices concerned will be harmonised with the standard over the three-year life of the performance Bonus Scheme. This will be implemented in equal stages up to April 2002 as part of the joint revision programme.

Meal Brakes for non-standard, as part-time and extended attendances

Part-time jobs, and full-time jobs with non-standard attendance patterns, will attract meal breaks for each daily attendance as followed, reflecting a generally pro-rata entitlement to the national weekly standard:

Attendance length total breaks probable pattern

Less than 2 hours 30 minutes none (a 10 min grace break should be provided if work permits)
2 hours 30 to 3 hours 10 mins 10
3 hours 1 to 3 hours 30 15 mins 15
3 hours 31 to 4 hours 59 20 mins 20
5 hours to 7 hours 30 mins 30
7 hours 1 to 8 hours 59 40 mins 40 or 20 + 20
9 hours to 10 hours 59 50 mins 30 + 20
11 hours to 12 hours 59 60 mins 40 + 20 or 30 + 30
13 hours or longer 70 mins 40 + 30

Pending completion of the discussions intended to conform with the requirements of the Working Time Regulations, any exceptional attendances of 15 hours or longer will attract an entitlement of 80 minutes.

The actual pattern of breaks within these rules will be agreed locally.

[tiredwalker]

Youn want to try have your break as soon as you start (9am) which was what some in our office had been forced to do whilst there round was finished being preped. I've never played this game and have my break mid round as and when I feel I need it.

[Stormproof]

When I was in Callers, every other week I had to do the late shift 11.30am until 7.22pm, we had to have our break at the start of the shift, ie 11.30 until 12.10, no wonder I went

[zed man]

In the A.P.C in the east riding where I work ,my attendence changed from a 5 day week tues - sat (6:00am - 14:00) To a locally agreed 4 day week 10 hour attendences wed - sat (6:00am - 16:00pm)..... back (after much delibaration) to a five day week tues - sat 6:00am - 14:00 .Now The shift manager wants us to work (tues - fri 6:00am -14:00pm) SATURDAY 9:00AM - 17:00 WITH THE PROVISER THAT WE TAKE OUR BREAKS BEFORE 1:00PM AS THE D.S.A IS "RELESED THEN"!! AND ALSO HAVE THE TIME BONUS AT THE "START" OF THE ATTENDENCE.............IT JUST SUCKS BECAUSE THE SHIFT MANAGER THAT IS TRYING TO IMPLIMENT THIS BACKWARDS STEP DOES'NT ATTEND A SATURDAY, WE HAVE WHAT IS KNOWN AS A PART TIME WEEKEND MANAGER? MANAGEMENT ARE TRING TO REDUCE O.T BEING PUT IN ON A SUNDAY BY TRYING TO DO IT ON THE CHEAP BY STICKING IT TO THE ATTENDIES OF A SATURDAY.