Breaks Clarification required

[Beaker54]

What are the proper Break rules if there are any !! our DOM to his great delight told us we can have 20 mins before we go out some have 25 mins as they are on a longer day the remainder of your break 20 mins or 25 mins cannot be taken until your return to the office. No breaks are allowed whilst out on delivery !! on top of this the 20 mins you take before you go out you are not allowed to leave the building...Colditz or what ? Can anyone clarify this. We have one postman who lives less than 50 yards from the office who was not allowed to drop one of his kids of at school during his first 20 min break as he was not allowed to leave the premises. I thought we were living in 2013 not 1913 disgraceful treatment of staff of whom most are demoralised as it is

[memo232]

He cannot stop you from leaving the building when on your break. You have the right to have you break wherever you want.

[fishtank]

Most if not all of that is crap Beaker.
If you have a rep..give him/her a shake.
If you don't,contact your Area Rep.
If it was me and i lived 50 yards from the D.O. i would be sitting in my front room with a mug of coffee giving him a wave and daring him to make the next move.

[LinChong]

"Rest breaks

12.—(1) Where an adult worker’s daily working time is more than six hours, he is entitled to a rest break.

(2) The details of the rest break to which an adult worker is entitled under paragraph (1), including its duration and the terms on which it is granted, shall be in accordance with any provisions for the purposes of this regulation which are contained in a collective agreement or a workforce agreement.

(3) Subject to the provisions of any applicable collective agreement or workforce agreement, the rest break provided for in paragraph (1) is an uninterrupted period of not less than 20 minutes, and the worker is entitled to spend it away from his workstation if he has one.

(4) Where a young worker’s daily working time is more than four and a half hours, he is entitled to a rest break of at least 30 minutes, which shall be consecutive if possible, and he is entitled to spend it away from his workstation if he has one.

(5) If, on any day, a young worker is employed by more than one employer, his daily working time shall be determined for the purpose of paragraph (4) by aggregating the number of hours worked by him for each employer."

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998 ... on/12/made" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Go to the CWU website. Click on Postal then click Agreements. The 2000 Way Forward Agreement has all the information on meal breaks. It is in pdf so I can't copy and paste it here.

[Beaker54]

Most if not all of that is crap Beaker.
If you have a rep..give him/her a shake.
If you don't,contact your Area Rep.
If it was me and i lived 50 yards from the D.O. i would be sitting in my front room with a mug of coffee giving him a wave and daring him to make the next move.

I know it sounds like crap but it does honestly happen probably the reason why nobody has a break, not before they go out anyway as for the unit rep complete waste of time gets an easy ride and works to a different set of rules to everyone else as he surprisingy the DOMs best mate just agrees with everything Dom suggests. Area rep different kettle of fish I know he will sort it will be in touch with him

[hans solo]

vote of no confidence i would say
a good rep is one mgmt hate imo

[Beaker54]

Thanks for all the feedback appreciated I think the problem would be solved in our office by getting a decent union rep one who represents the union members and not just himself

[LinChong]

Thanks for all the feedback appreciated I think the problem would be solved in our office by getting a decent union rep one who represents the union members and not just himself

Why don't you stand?

Build support up first of all by taking out a grievance about your breaks. Let everyone know what you are doing. Take a friend in with you at stage 1. At stage 2, ask your Area Rep to go in with you and test him out. See if he's as good as you think he is. Make a decision on who you want to take along at stage 3.

Build up support in your office. Print off agreements and policies from the CWU website and the Royal Mail intranet and distribute them at work.

Find out what Branch you are in and speak to your Branch Secretary about any concerns you have that CWU agreements are being broken under your rep's nose. Test your Branch Secretary out to see if he's bothered.

You will probably get threatened with violence from favourites who get more than their fair share of overtime/prime annual leave slots or who are allowed to do less than their fair share of work. Don't worry about it. They're just mouth. Despite some melodramatic threats, all I've had to put up with is minor damage to my car, a ripped shirt, a few shoves and a punch in the stomach. I am very pleased to say that the favourites in my section who used to do less than their fair share of work by making me do more than my fair share, and who have threatened me, are now doing their fair share of work. The manager who collaborated with them has been moved to another section. All this was achieved without having to go outside of the law and without having to go near the Bullying and Harassment Procedure because it is a trap.

When you become a rep you will get a list of the names and addresses of all your members. Don't be tempted to do anything outside of work to members who threaten you. Even if management have left the personal details of an individual who is annoying you on a computer file that can be accessed by the whole of your office and even if that individual has many enemies in your office, stay within the law.

[kilrenny]

as rep at my do, I have told the posties they can take their breaks away from their place of work and in a oner id they want. Doms try their luck