I know there are a bunch of threads out there on taking your lunch breaks. I have read a bunch and i am still a little confused to peoples views on lunch breaks. I have only been driving for a year now so obviously i dont know everything there is to know out there yet. I work in the East New England district and we get two 10 min breaks and a hour for lunch. I dont understand why i should have to take an hour lunch, i get bored after sitting around for 20 minutes and get tired if i sit around longer than that. I eat my sandwhich and relax and that takes me about 30 minutes. So i am wondering why so many people have problems with not taking the full lunch. I know some people argue that by not taking the full lunch you are working for free and taking work away from other drivers. But how is that the case if i enter in the time i take my lunch, and no matter how long i take for lunch, my hours worked in relation to 9.5 will be the same. So im just wondering if different regions have different rules and what people think.
lunch breaks
- Thread starter rossco
- Start date
backinbrown
respect my authority
there is 3 spots for lunch take 3 20min breaks you have to do it
you need to rest also the breaks are needed eventually you will want all your lunch you should just take it
ideliver2u67
20 Down
I am in upstate ny, and we get 1 10 minute break and a 45 minute lunch. I dont know about you guys but we can break our lunch up twice. Alot of times I take 30 minutes and 15 at the end of the day.. I agree that even 45 minutes is too long, I dont feel like going back to work if I take it all at once. And I definitly think if it is possible, if you have something to do that night, and wanna get done early, you should be able to skip your lunch, but no we cant do that.
ideliver2u67
20 Down
Our center team did tell us that they were having problems in California with drivers saying they didnt have time in there day to take lunches, and ultimately there were lawsuits. So in response to that, at somewhere between 12 and 1 daily, there diads are shutdown by management, so they are forced to take there lunches. Now that is BS......
i take 10 mins at 1030, then usually 30-45 mins around 1. Someone mentioned in another thread that they feel worse after a long break and i feel the same way. Also other drivers have told me you are supposed to take lunch in one full hour and some drivers have said it has to be taken between the 3rd and 4th hour , others have said between the 4th and 5th hour. I would rather get home a half hour earlier than sitting in my truck twiddling my thumbs for a half hour
UPSNewbie
Well-Known Member
It's in the contract....
ideliver2u67
20 Down
And I totally understand it is important to take your lunch, and believe me I dont give them a second of it. But dont you think its crazy they can force you to take it at a time they choose, by shutting down the diad???
UPSNewbie
Well-Known Member
They had to take some step, since their drivers aren't responsible enough to do it themselves, however much of an inconvenience it is to them.
ideliver2u67
20 Down
Agreed, but if any of them are like me, I think more of my customers, and want to make sure I get the businesses off before I take my lunch. To some of them an hour later is a big deal, and they depend on getting their stuff earlier so they can have it for the turn around and ship it back out on the pickup run. I know that seems dumb on my part, but thats me thinking of them first. They are why we have job.
Paid-over-in-Maine
15 more years of this!
The 1HR lunch was a hard fought victory for the Teamsters. You need that time to re-group so you can be focused to finish your day. Read a book, take a nap, get away from your truck. I have even brought a fishing pole to work. If it were up to UPS they would work you all day with no lunch. Take your lunch between the 4th & 5th hour. If you don't have time to make your P/Ups, then MGMT. needs to make the adjustment so they are done on time. After 1 week of covering your P/UPs because you are taking your lunch when you are supposed to, they will change. Drivers want UPS to follow the contract, then you should follow it also.....DON'T RUN YOUR LUNCH!
rocket man
Well-Known Member
you have 3 options . 4 th option is dont take it put it in work thru it get fired
sealbasher
Well-Known Member
up here in Canada we have paid 10 min paid and 50 min unpaid, and no matter what i take both. If i start to get bored i gamble on sports.
ideliver2u67
20 Down
I don't have any problems with the older drivers but my stewards are HARD CORE, and give me heat. But I have covered for them in the past, and their own customers are happier with the time I get there for the reasons I said. I will gladly catch the heat to make someone happy. I have had my own route for the last couple years, and when someone else covers my route and they are later than me, it pays off when the customer say THANK YOU for doing what you do.
Paid-over-in-Maine
15 more years of this!
I'm all about MY customers also, but when you start doing for 1 then 3 then pretty soon your back at the building taking your lunch because you wanted to make all your customers happy. I have a business that gets del. at 15:30. I told them that the only way I can get to them earlier is if I run my lunch. They said not to do it, that I need to take my lunch. Now they are accustomed to the time of del. Everyone wants their stuff early but I have too many to please...someone has to be last.
ideliver2u67
20 Down
I definitly wasnt implying you didnt think of your customers, forgive me if you got that impression. Perhaps this is something I will have to ease them into.
i take care of my customers with early deliveries that take care of me with good christmas tips and other stuff or that ship out ups. i enjoy busting balls of the people who ship out FedEx and complain when i deliver their stuff at 4pm and i tell them this is the earliest i am in the area, but im not gonna run my lunch, i need my lunch, but i dont feel like i need a whole hour.
No such person
Southern Ct.
In the Southern NE district we can break our hour lunch in four parts. On the really hot days I like that, a good break every two hours. As for why you take it, if you don't you're working for zero dollars per hour, and that's dumb.
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