shortened breaks

cental34 · 03-08-2007, 10:44 AM

For about the past week or so, my hub has had shortened breaks. Anywhere from 30 seconds short to 2 minutes short of the 10 minutes we're promised. I've been very sure to keep time from the time belts stop to the time they start back up. I asked my supervisor about this, and he swears he knows nothing about it. I've brought it up more than once. The sad thing is, no one else seems to notice or care. For me, when I sit down for break, I need as much time as I can to rest. Now is there anything in the union contract about this? Should it be brought to the stewards attention?

cachsux · 03-08-2007, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cental34

For about the past week or so, my hub has had shortened breaks. Anywhere from 30 seconds short to 2 minutes short of the 10 minutes we're promised. I've been very sure to keep time from the time belts stop to the time they start back up. I asked my supervisor about this, and he swears he knows nothing about it. I've brought it up more than once. The sad thing is, no one else seems to notice or care. For me, when I sit down for break, I need as much time as I can to rest. Now is there anything in the union contract about this? Should it be brought to the stewards attention?

Yes there is and yes it should.

ups79 · 03-08-2007, 11:13 AM

When they say break, do you just drop or head for the vending machines?

HazMatMan · 03-08-2007, 11:19 AM

My contract says "There shall be one (1) relief break for all seniority part-timers up to 10 minutes.

Read that VERY carefully.

cental34 · 03-08-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ups79

When they say break, do you just drop or head for the vending machines?

Once the belts stop, I check my watch, head out of the truck and go find a place to sit down.

cachsux · 03-08-2007, 12:09 PM

One thing I have seen tried by sups around here is to call everyone over for a pcm during the break,which is incorrect. The 10 min are yours,after 10 they may have a pcm before return to work.

dillweed · 03-08-2007, 12:44 PM

Our center regularly shorts us a minute or so. Take that times all the affected employees and it adds up. Mgmnt needs to reach a number for the week, month or whatever and they'll do whatever it takes.

Several of our folks have been shorted on their checks the past couple weeks. We had a few snowy days with air driver time and figure they're just trying to get those hours back. Grievanes are flying. dw

tieguy · 03-08-2007, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HazMatMan

My contract says "There shall be one (1) relief break for all seniority part-timers up to 10 minutes.

Read that VERY carefully.

Interesting. Does it actually say "up to 10 minutes"

HazMatMan · 03-08-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tieguy

Interesting. Does it actually say "up to 10 minutes"

Yes.. Very tricky wording. A relief break?? as if to relieve your bowels perhaps..

seeingbrown · 03-08-2007, 02:27 PM

At my center the preloaders complained to their stewards about break being taken late in their shift. They now get it a little over half way through. If this a concern of yours address it, the worst they could say is they cant help. But I have a feeling that your breaks will be back at the full 10 min.

big_arrow_up · 03-08-2007, 06:16 PM

Our contract (southern region) says 10 min. and the break must be taken within a certain time frame. I can't remember the specifics but I know it keeps us from having to go on break as soon as we walk in the door and from waiting to we are about done with the shift. When I worked in the hub sometimes a belt would break somewhere so we'd have to go on break while it was being repaired. Even if it was during the first minute of the shift. That isn't supposed to happen anymore. As far as the PCMs goes....we would have ours at the beginning of the break or at the tail end. The time it took for the PCM didn't count towards the break. Management would designate an amount of time for each PCM. It would usually be like 2 minutes so our sup would try and wrap it up quickly so we'd get a little extra time for the break. But of course there were always a few people that didn't understand that and would bitch every time we had a PCM.

cental34 · 03-08-2007, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_arrow_up

Our contract (southern region) says 10 min. and the break must be taken within a certain time frame. I can't remember the specifics but I know it keeps us from having to go on break as soon as we walk in the door and from waiting to we are about done with the shift. When I worked in the hub sometimes a belt would break somewhere so we'd have to go on break while it was being repaired. Even if it was during the first minute of the shift. That isn't supposed to happen anymore. As far as the PCMs goes....we would have ours at the beginning of the break or at the tail end. The time it took for the PCM didn't count towards the break. Management would designate an amount of time for each PCM. It would usually be like 2 minutes so our sup would try and wrap it up quickly so we'd get a little extra time for the break. But of course there were always a few people that didn't understand that and would bitch every time we had a PCM.

Sounds like your contract would apply to me. If you can, would you PM me the specifics if you have them? We're usually forced to take break an hour into sort, which seems too close to start. I'm wondering if it says anything about that.

We don't even have PCMs at my hub.

HazMatMan · 03-09-2007, 09:50 AM

PCM?? what's that?? That would cut into the production time. Haven't heard a PCM on the preload in over 10 years, drivers (service providers, sorry) have them everyday.

MonavieLeaker · 03-09-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_arrow_up

Our contract (southern region) says 10 min. and the break must be taken within a certain time frame. I can't remember the specifics but I know it keeps us from having to go on break as soon as we walk in the door and from waiting to we are about done with the shift. When I worked in the hub sometimes a belt would break somewhere so we'd have to go on break while it was being repaired. Even if it was during the first minute of the shift. That isn't supposed to happen anymore. As far as the PCMs goes....we would have ours at the beginning of the break or at the tail end. The time it took for the PCM didn't count towards the break. Management would designate an amount of time for each PCM. It would usually be like 2 minutes so our sup would try and wrap it up quickly so we'd get a little extra time for the break. But of course there were always a few people that didn't understand that and would bitch every time we had a PCM.

This is from the Contract: "part-time employes will be GUARANTEED 10 minutes relief period each work shift. the relief period may not start before the end of the first hour and must be completed by the end of the 3rd hour.

HazMatMan · 03-09-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonavieLeaker

This is from the Contract: "part-time employes will be GUARANTEED 10 minutes relief period each work shift. the relief period may not start before the end of the first hour and must be completed by the end of the 3rd hour.

Wow, you got better wording in your contract regarding that 10 minute relief break than I do.. If you saw my earlier post you'll understand..

brett636 · 03-09-2007, 12:25 PM

There have been a few instances where I believe they have shortened our breaks by a couple minutes, but most of the time they are 10 min. exactly. when I first started they were doing 12 min. breaks where the first 2 min. the supervisor was supposed to give us a PCM. when I switched to the midnight shift they started the belts 2 min. after start-time so the supervisor could give a PCM. Both of those practices have been discontinued and I haven't heard a PCM in my hub for nearly two years now.