Break Etiquette

smok3y666 · Post by **smok3y666** » 05 Jan 2017, 16:39

The more I get told the more questions I have.

Because i'm 30 hours do I get paired with another 30 hours person? If not then.......

On Monday and Tuesday I start at 9 and finish at 2. The full time guys have break at 8:40 until 9:20, some of them have no break. Obviously I'm not going to want a break as soon as I get there. So I go out with a full time guy who finishes at 2:30, I finish at 2 minus my break. What do I do? When is the best time to take my break? If the full time guy knocks his break off the end the he finishes at 1:50. It would be stupid for me to expect him to drive me back the depot at 1:30 then go back out on his duty.

Absolutely everything I'm getting told makes no sense to me what so ever and i'm only 3 days in. I've had 2 days training, next to no PDA training.

I don't even know how prep a frame or anything.

DiamondSmiles · Post by **DiamondSmiles** » 05 Jan 2017, 17:16

I would just have a chat with whoever you are paired with and come to some sort of arrangement as to when to have your break. Think you will find most people would be reasonable about it. After all you have just as much right to take your break as the FT.

woking · Post by **woking** » 05 Jan 2017, 18:24

part time staff in our office take a break when the full timer loads the van,that's what management & the rep agreed.saying that tho I rarely see a part timer having a break because the full timer is always in a rush to get out & the PT feels guilty for not helping to load the van.

shepherdess · Post by **shepherdess** » 05 Jan 2017, 18:36

No thought as to the pt full time workng together and what to do about breaks, a break is supposed to be taken in the middle of the work day so if one starts at 7 and the other at 930 how does that work?

Justanotherstar · Post by **Justanotherstar** » 05 Jan 2017, 18:51

Just take your break whenever you feel you need it...it'll piss your partner off but what else can you do? Just have to cut off what you can't get done.

5 hour days just don't work unless you're on a HCT/single duty...then you're relying on the person who's throwing it off, usually you'll end up with shitloads of missorts...as a 9am start you shouldn't ever need to know how to prep a walk, you should be thankful for this

, worse part of the job imo.

mbavelja · Post by **mbavelja** » 05 Jan 2017, 18:55

Justanotherstar wrote:Just take your break whenever you feel you need it....

Your meal relief, time and duration, should have been agreed by the office as part of the revision process.

sophie97 · Post by **sophie97** » 05 Jan 2017, 20:21

Ahh welcome to the world of a part time postman. Essentially you get screwed over and don't get any breaks and often work over your time.

Also get used to starting and finishing at the same time as your partner but they get paid more because they are on a bigger contract.

Its difficult when you start because you want to be on your best behaviour but you also need to put your foot down and dont let them take liberties because RM will if you let them

steve1873 · Post by **steve1873** » 06 Jan 2017, 16:53

sophie97 wrote:Ahh welcome to the world of a part time postman. Essentially you get screwed over and don't get any breaks and often work over your time.

Also get used to starting and finishing at the same time as your partner but they get paid more because they are on a bigger contract.

Its difficult when you start because you want to be on your best behaviour but you also need to put your foot down and dont let them take liberties because RM will if you let them

Why would that ever be the case? If you are asked to come in early to do some part of the indoor component, then you are being paid for it surely? If you are simply coming in early without that being requested of you, just in order to get out on delivery quicker, then you are simply cutting your own throat by working for free.

steve1873 · Post by **steve1873** » 06 Jan 2017, 17:02

But back on topic, regarding the breaks. This is something I feel the union need to look at on a national level.

I am PT, albeit on a solid 35 hour contract. I take my MR prior to loading the van, so usually I will have been in for close to a couple hours. However, when I am partnered with someone on a lesser contract, by me taking break at this point in the day (which is my right to do so), then I am in effect forcing my partner to take their break at this point also. Now given that they may have only been in the building for 20 mins or so, then this is hardly fair.

The mixing and matching of contract lengths working together is logistically very difficult to manage and often means people are skipping their entitlement altogether.

The only way round about this would be to have my delivery pulled out and be part way through my break by time the partner was doing redirections and pulling out (i.e. not on break and still working). By time I return from break, they are completing their pullout or have done so and loaded the van. This however, still means that my colleague has 30 mins meal relief outstanding - 20 of which MUST be taken as close to the middle of shift as possible. So you would in effect have 1 member of P+L sitting in van for 20 mins while I continued to work.

There isn't really any other way round it, other than me not having break in morning (with canteen and toilet facilities) and then us both have break together out on delivery. But the imbalance would still occur on days when I am working 7+ hour shifts as my entitlement goes from 30 mins to 40 mins.

The CWU really need to come up with a workable solution that is fair for everyone.