Meal Break

[Lazycarton]

Can they tell you when to take a meal break?

[ebbzie]

Has your office not got an agreed time for this?

[Barbel]

Meal break? What's a meal break?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Can they tell you when to take a meal break?

Within certain limitations -- yes

[anTi]

My guess is you r office has recently undergone a revision and its not working and the management are now on your back for every little thing. Am i right?

The answer to you question is unfortunately they can. However they still cant make you run round your walk, that's where it will always fall apart.

[Lazycarton]

No revision yet. I have never been given any info about breaks and when they should or should not be taken.

[johnnyp]

No revision yet. I have never been given any info about breaks and when they should or should not be taken.

Your break can be taken during your shift ,the sensible time would be in the middle just before you go out on delivery,or it can be split say 20 mins before you go out and 20 mins at the end depending what has been agreed locally,speak to your rep and Dom and ask what has been agreed.

[19times]

No revision yet. I have never been given any info about breaks and when they should or should not be taken.

Your break can be taken during your shift ,the sensible time would be in the middle just before you go out on delivery,or it can be split say 20 mins before you go out and 20 mins at the end depending what has been agreed locally,speak to your rep and Dom and ask what has been agreed.

I'll jump in here.

We have today just begun this very thing due to the indoor flow bollocks or whatever it is ie Backless frame mini yorks etc etc and it's pants.

Lino comes round with clipboard and says right go take your break absolute shite!

[UnhappyGremlin]

They can instruct you to take a break but within reason. It can't be at the start or end of your duty, and should be as near the middle as possible. Think UK/EU law states you can't do more than 6 hours without a break.

I also think we will definitely lose the paid break. Within, in my opinion, 2 years max of the company being privatised. The only thing we can hope for is that the CWU manage to negotiate the deal to take unpaid breaks, in relation to their long held aim of a 35 HR week, so we wouldn't end up with what would be a pay cut. Can't see RM going for it though.

[lewesspudgun]

H+S reg say you must have a break min 20 mins, within a 8 hour day management can tell you when to take this break. Normally it is at a regular time, so as to make it possible for the lino to manage. the other 20 mins are yours to have when you want, IE 40 mins before you go out, or 20 in the office and 20 whenever, But you cant take 40 at the end of your duty. It is R.Ms duty to ensure that you have a break.

[Lazycarton]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[levantzawn]

Meal relief should be used for what it says,and the only meal that fits within my delivery is dinner!
A while ago I'd been in work for 50 minutes when our line manager came around and said you have to take 20 mnutes of your break.I told them politely I'm not taking half of my break when I've not even done one eight of my days work.They then said about making sure I had to be seen having my break to which I replied how are you going to check the other deliveries taking their remaining 20 minutes out on delivery.Due to the commotion our union rep came over and the end result was I had my break out on delivery,where I need it!

[zaskar555]

Im wondering what happens to us PT
I work 27 hours and im being forced to take a break not long after 20 mins starting my shift, so I'm under the impression we shouldnt be taking breaks within a 2 hour period.
My walk is under revision at the moment and not many like it due to the energy zapping slog it requires due to hills steps and long drives on gravel, this is not a round for the faint hearted .
Last week manager agreed i could take my break half way round as i was working with a person who really has all the time on the world and the round was starting to struggle on finish times.

The past two days the round has failed, i have been pressured to work over , breaks cut short just to get this round done, its now at the point i have Wrote out a walk log of times and dates over the past days for the walk due to the troubles,
What i would like to know is were i stand as a 27 hour pt on the breaks, im sure they cant force you to take a break 20 mins or even under 2 hours,
I dont like going in to be forced to take a break 20 mins in, i have only just had breakfast

Well because the round has failed twice this week the manager withdrawn the agreement of myself taking my break in the middle which had helped over the past week, i have approached union rep in work and also Cwu as i think the manager actions are based on the FT workers who have been in since 6 when taking there breaks he can request them to take theres but surly not mine 20 mins into my shift.
This walk requires looking at very soon as a break is on need in the middle, im saying this due to the fact a fellow postman i was working with near passed out and a customer had to come out to help him.
This was also noted to the manager at the time. poor postie never new what hit him and scared the crap out of me.
Well yesterday i handed in a log of the day and a loop removed from round before i went out . this round is 45min over and needs to be sorted, i finish most days at 2.45 and have a school pickup to do, but im being forced and harassed to do things i shouldn't be doing.
I so need some advice on what a manager can dictate to you about were and when you can take a break.

[postman nel]

When my office was getting ready for van share..i was on the commitee and was told 20 minute break SHOULD be taken before you start your duty..

[zaskar555]

isnt the break ment to be used for dinner time,thats my understand of meal relief
my problem is being told to do something that dont suit my needs, after all im the one slogging it out on the round
What next , will we be drip fed if we refuse to take a break although having only been in 20 mins.
i see royal mail abusing PT with all this meal relief time issue stuff, im sure its against health and safety and even worse what the hell you ment to do after having ya break at stupid time in the morning then and hour down the line needing a wee, this is the problem im having , my round aint in the best place for access to a loo, and im fed up going in bushes as its me that will get done if caught. I had to return a loop the other day in my break time and needed the loo and i was told i was wasting time, this does take the Pee