It would appear that you're being forced to take your break when it is convenient for the manager. I assume that there is a lull in available workload not long after you start, and rather than have you standing around doing nothing(because they can't manage workloads properly or design duties correctly) they have decided to make you take your break for their benefit. It may also be due to them wanting to make sure you will be ready to go at the same time as your P&L partner.
In my office, there are some PT who do start on their breaks, but they are 20 hr contracts, and the boss allows them to start 20 mins late, i.e. they effectively start work after their allotted break, which they are happy with(means they spend less time in the shithole).
However, the law, both EU/UK, states that your break should be taken within your duty, somewhere near the middle. But it also states that you are only required to have a break if you work 6 hours or more, so there is nothing illegal in this.
But your point is one from a view of your welfare. Get the Rep involved, say how you feel a break would be best served at a later time. There must be some work you can do whilst others are having a break. There will also be a point whilst on delivery where you could sit in the van and have your break whilst your partner does a loop or parcels or something. I guess they just don't want the hassle, or the risk mail may be brought back.
Don't know about the agreements angle, I know they state entitlements, but I think they may also say that allocation is negotiated locally within revision processes etc.
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Meal Break
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UnhappyGremlin
- Posts: 2685
- Joined: 18 May 2012, 20:49
- Gender: Male
- Location: Hiding
Re: Meal Break
Sometimes, I wish I wasn't a Rep.
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zaskar555
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 08 Dec 2009, 15:55
- Gender: Male
Re: Meal Break
Its not due to no work in our place, i come in at 8.30 mon-tues, then weds, thurs, fri, its 9.20 and 9.25. sats are 8.30.
Each morning i go in i move onto fitting sort redirections and sort packets and bag the mail up and then loads van collect keys and scanners.
this is about an hours worth of work in my place as most the time i have to chuck mail in which should be done before i get in, in most cases i have to do this. which then takes time.
alot of the time i can complete these task within the hour and im ready to go, trouble is my partner who is full-time is due his break, As they have been in since 6am, i have nothing against this as royal mail are correct to push them to take breaks here, but this is where my problem is im being forced to do my break not long after getting in, The other trouble is i have been told ft get 40 mins and the pt 30 mins.
I was told the other day i am ment to come in load the van in 10min as the ft starts his break after that i go down for my break , trouble is how do i load a van without full bags, as the mail is in fitting and on desk when i get in. Im not super human , i cant do packets, redirections, kill offs, tie up, bag up and loads a van in 10 mins, So looking at what your saying with managers suiting themselves to not try resolve the trouble and leave myself to sort it out is right, as the other week manager agreed to me doing break half way between my 2 walks i cover, this helped loads.
trouble is most days i get in 10 -20 mins early which helps with the mess i walk into , and most the time my break has been 20 mins instead of the 30 we should be taking, So im giving away 35 odd minutes of my time unpaid plus being delayed by chuck mail in when it should be done.
it all comes down to 45 min or so of extra time from me which results in going over which i cant do due to school run. So the past cpl of days i have come in on time , took my break which has now been forced on myself , i have been taking my break fully and this has resulted in the walk failing on the last loop, its been logged by myself and partner from the minute we post first letter to the last, this has then been passed onto the manager and now resulted in forcing myself on break , as he thinks this will help. In the past weeks i have had to cut breaks short and come in early to complete the round, now im not doing this i feel im being pressured and punished , union rep agrees the round needs to be looked at as a manager and union rep are going to walk test it.
i am one of the quick posties and this walk test is welcomed as i have worked with the union rep and we went over in the walk , also with anyone else this is the case.
Each morning i go in i move onto fitting sort redirections and sort packets and bag the mail up and then loads van collect keys and scanners.
this is about an hours worth of work in my place as most the time i have to chuck mail in which should be done before i get in, in most cases i have to do this. which then takes time.
alot of the time i can complete these task within the hour and im ready to go, trouble is my partner who is full-time is due his break, As they have been in since 6am, i have nothing against this as royal mail are correct to push them to take breaks here, but this is where my problem is im being forced to do my break not long after getting in, The other trouble is i have been told ft get 40 mins and the pt 30 mins.
I was told the other day i am ment to come in load the van in 10min as the ft starts his break after that i go down for my break , trouble is how do i load a van without full bags, as the mail is in fitting and on desk when i get in. Im not super human , i cant do packets, redirections, kill offs, tie up, bag up and loads a van in 10 mins, So looking at what your saying with managers suiting themselves to not try resolve the trouble and leave myself to sort it out is right, as the other week manager agreed to me doing break half way between my 2 walks i cover, this helped loads.
trouble is most days i get in 10 -20 mins early which helps with the mess i walk into , and most the time my break has been 20 mins instead of the 30 we should be taking, So im giving away 35 odd minutes of my time unpaid plus being delayed by chuck mail in when it should be done.
it all comes down to 45 min or so of extra time from me which results in going over which i cant do due to school run. So the past cpl of days i have come in on time , took my break which has now been forced on myself , i have been taking my break fully and this has resulted in the walk failing on the last loop, its been logged by myself and partner from the minute we post first letter to the last, this has then been passed onto the manager and now resulted in forcing myself on break , as he thinks this will help. In the past weeks i have had to cut breaks short and come in early to complete the round, now im not doing this i feel im being pressured and punished , union rep agrees the round needs to be looked at as a manager and union rep are going to walk test it.
i am one of the quick posties and this walk test is welcomed as i have worked with the union rep and we went over in the walk , also with anyone else this is the case.