Lunch Break

Fighting4yourRights

Heavy Weight
Full lunch breaks are a bit old school. The best thing for you to do is to take a 15 minute break in the morning and eat a full, yet carb conscious, protein filled breakfast. I suggest oatmeal, bagel, egg and ham. I would also recommend that on some days you substitute the oatmeal for a bowl of cottage cheese.

Then, take either a 15 minute, 30 minute or 1 hour lunch break. On most days I take a 15 minute and mix a protein shake to keep extra weight off us gals problem areas and to help build muscle.

Then, at the end of the day and before you hit the gym, take your gym supplements and have another protein shake.

Do this consistently for several months and maybe someone will date you.

Ask me anytime for further advice in any other of your personal areas of life.

 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"Ask me anytime for further advice in any other of your personal areas of life."


Hmmm, I'm thinking a new BrownCafe forum....
 

Fnix

Well-Known Member
All this talk makes me not wanna drive. You get in trouble for taking a lunch because you're out longer but if you skip it you get in trouble as well?
 

9/5Everyday

Active Member
Mgmt. just told us this morning we had to take our full lunch. The past 4 months we could take whatever we wanted. If we took 20 min. we would get paid the other 40. What is the deal? Do we have to take it or not. Where is the language???
 
For the Southern Region the language is in the contract supplement.
Article 54- Meal period
(a)The employee shall be entitled to and REGUIRED to take a meal period of one (1) hour. Failure to take and properly record the required meal period may be cause for disciplinary action.
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
The only time I ever skipped lunch was to get off early to go on vacation. I ran all day to beat the traffic on the way home! I had a manager tell me why couldn't I do that everyday. I lost all respect for that person. I learned 2 things from that.
1) Take care of yourself, don't expect anyone else to do it for you.
2) If you want others to respect you, treat them like you would treat yourself.

You are going to be working (doing something) for 30 to 50 years of your life!!!

People that take lunch have more energy, work smarter and safer overall!
In essence - a person that takes their lunch AND BREAKS is more productive!!!


I am a retired management person and never advocated anyone to skip lunch and still do not believe that today. It is not in anyone's best interest.

I honestly don't understand why there is so much discussion on this topic!
TAKE YOUR LUNCH! If you meet resistance from your mgmt. team you will win everytime....discussion over!
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
The only time I ever skipped lunch was to get off early to go on vacation. I ran all day to beat the traffic on the way home! I had a manager tell me why couldn't I do that everyday. I lost all respect for that person. I learned 2 things from that.
1) Take care of yourself, don't expect anyone else to do it for you.
2) If you want others to respect you, treat them like you would treat yourself.

You are going to be working (doing something) for 30 to 50 years of your life!!!

People that take lunch have more energy, work smarter and safer overall!
In essence - a person that takes their lunch AND BREAKS is more productive!!!

I am a retired management person and never advocated anyone to skip lunch and still do not believe that today. It is not in anyone's best interest.

I honestly don't understand why there is so much discussion on this topic!
TAKE YOUR LUNCH! If you meet resistance from your mgmt. team you will win everytime....discussion over!


Here is one problem I have with forced lunch. The high temp the last 2 days were in the single digits. As soon as that sun sets we are talking below zero temps with dangerous wind chill factors. These conditions make it very difficult to sit for 1 hour in the middle of the day and waste that hour of daylight. When its like this I would rather just be given the time to eat my sandwich and then get back to work. Who wants to sit for an hour and freeze their but off?
 

outta hours

Well-Known Member
Here is one problem I have with forced lunch. The high temp the last 2 days were in the single digits. As soon as that sun sets we are talking below zero temps with dangerous wind chill factors. These conditions make it very difficult to sit for 1 hour in the middle of the day and waste that hour of daylight. When its like this I would rather just be given the time to eat my sandwich and then get back to work. Who wants to sit for an hour and freeze their but off?

Can't you see it this is what the company wants you to think and do. They are master manipulators,they have thought of every tactic that will entice you to work for free each day. Even if they only get 10-15 min on the low end and up 60 min. or more by working before start time on the high end. They save and make millions a day because they know you don't want to del. after dark, or make your kids game, or be out longer in the heat or cold, etc. etc. They are more effective than any cult with the psychological control games they play. If you don't believe that analyze it in the simplest of terms. What hourly paying job have you have known people to work faster and many cases for free to finish the job in less time than they are being paid for? Just know that they will always dangle the carrot (the things you want to be off for) in front of you to make you go faster. And the sad thing is many of you will continue to chase it, but you will never catch it. No one ever told you when you were hired that you would be working 8-5. Accept your responsibility to work safely and be paid for all the time you work. No matter how long or late it may be.Or if you are interested in running all day and working off the clock and being paid that way by the package, mile, and stop FEDEX Ground is always in need of "independant contractors".
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Didn't UPS lose a very large lawsuit back in the 90's over working through breaks? A lot of the package car drivers I knew were smiling big-time because they'd just received hefty settlement checks.

Breaks are mandated by state law, and as far as I know, no company can override such laws. FedEx just settled a case (out of court) in California last year for $31 million over denied breaks and they will probably be sued in other states for the same reason. As it stands now, you can be terminated for NOT taking a break. Management is supposed to check for any activity during breaks and then write you up or fire you for "falsification". Our PowerPads force us to take a real time lunch that is monitored by the device. Does the DIAD have the same capability?
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
Here is one problem I have with forced lunch. The high temp the last 2 days were in the single digits. As soon as that sun sets we are talking below zero temps with dangerous wind chill factors. These conditions make it very difficult to sit for 1 hour in the middle of the day and waste that hour of daylight. When its like this I would rather just be given the time to eat my sandwich and then get back to work. Who wants to sit for an hour and freeze their but off?

I have to respect your point. You need to do what you feel is best for you to get through the day. Good intentions do not go unnoticed or unfulfilled.

But I do feel that you do not lose time when you rest. The mental alertness as well as physical energy you gain from the rest period will actually help you pick up time the rest of the day. It also improves your chances of less risk to your overall health and safety.

I know that some folks out here will not believe this, but the majority of management people that I have come in contact with really care about their folks! Remember, most have walked in your shoes and know what you go through every day.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
I have to respect your point. You need to do what you feel is best for you to get through the day. Good intentions do not go unnoticed or unfulfilled.

But I do feel that you do not lose time when you rest. The mental alertness as well as physical energy you gain from the rest period will actually help you pick up time the rest of the day. It also improves your chances of less risk to your overall health and safety.

I know that some folks out here will not believe this, but the majority of management people that I have come in contact with really care about their folks! Remember, most have walked in your shoes and know what you go through every day.


I agree the rest time is good for you, but in moderation. 1 hour is too long. After sitting in the park on a 95 degree summer day for 1 hour, the last thing I want to do is go back to work. I am totally drained. But I do take my hour. $210 is too much money to give away each week to the company. In the winter its usually at Dunkin Donuts at the end of the night (doesn't this defeat the purpose of a lunch break?)

I think it sucks that to get what I'm entiled to I have to sit in a coffee shop for no reason when I could be on my way home an hour earlier instead.

I just wish we could take what we need and be paid for what we work. Is that such a crazy idea? Seems fair to me.
 

Griff

Well-Known Member
I have to respect your point. You need to do what you feel is best for you to get through the day. Good intentions do not go unnoticed or unfulfilled.

But I do feel that you do not lose time when you rest. The mental alertness as well as physical energy you gain from the rest period will actually help you pick up time the rest of the day. It also improves your chances of less risk to your overall health and safety.

I know that some folks out here will not believe this, but the majority of management people that I have come in contact with really care about their folks! Remember, most have walked in your shoes and know what you go through every day.

This is where I have a big time problem with you, UPS Lifer. You are still talking as if you're behind the desk in your office or in the middle of a PCM. The reality of the situation is that UPS wants people to skip their lunch, a lot of people are dispatched with it in mind. The company knows who runs and skips their breaks and they are dispatched accordingly. I have covered too many routes and know too many drivers personally. I know who skips and runs and their route always reflects it. Meanwhile the people who don't run and take their entitlements are harassed, scrutinized and routinely overly supervised. This is the UPS way and it has to be stopped one center at a time. Enough is enough, take your lunch everyday, it's YOUR time and it's part of this job.

"Good intentions don't go unnoticed or unfulfilled." -- This quote sickens me on many levels. You are flatout telling this guy that skipping his lunch puts a star on his jacket in the eyes of management. Yet you're gonna sit here and tell everyone that you don't condone drivers skipping their lunch. Can you be anymore full of crap? How exactly would you reward him for skipping his lunch like a good peon, UPS Lifer? You're retired and still talking out of both sides of your mouth, give it a rest.

"Most have walked in your shoes" -- No, most haven't walked in our shoes and that's where most of these problems are stemming from. You can't manage or supervise a job that you've never done yourself and in some cases can't do.
 

Tony31yrs

Well-Known Member
In NY State, there was a law that we were entitled to a lunch. For a while, UPS in Buffalo was allowing you to code in "no lunch break" and you got paid for it. Either the state labor board or the union put a stop to that and all of the younger guys were having a fit, but still skipping their lunches.
Supervisors knew that cover guys were skipping lunches and running, but didn't care because it made them look good. A lot of the cover guys never caught on to that when they ran a route and they got a lot more stops than the regular driver. I worked for UPS for 31 years and found out early that the more you do, the more they want. I never wanted more than 8 1/2-9 hours and I would let them know that if they wanted me to scratch a route, they'd better not give me more than that. If I knew I had to be out until 7 o'clock or later, my evening was shot, so I might as well slow down and make the time and a half instead of killing myself and making the supes look good. I wasn't going to reward them for screwing me.
The more drivers that work through lunch-the more routes they can cut. I got a system down and always took my lunch. I missed a lot of my kids' events in school, but I figured it comes with the good pay, benefits and retirement. I got out at 50 with a full pension and have never been happier.
 

paidslave

Well-Known Member
Maybe the best advice I ever received from a shop steward was to do whatever they instructed you to do, it's eventually come back and bite them in the a**.(if they are wrong) If , in your opinion, they violate the contract, file a grievance and let the proceedure sort it out. I know it's a hard pill to swallow and I have trouble always following that advice. Example: It would have been much easier for and on PaidSlave to go ahead and skip his lunch that day then file a grievance, than to have to fight to get his job back. Pick your battles carefully.

To take a lunch or not, when or how much time to take etc. is very inconstant across the country and even in the same district. On the local level management can get away with just about anything they wish to do, if the employee allows it to happen without doing anything.

To those that suggested that Paidslave quit, please consider the following. If he started working at UPS at the age of 21, has been there for 23 years he is 44 years old. I hate to break it to y'all but that's not a favorable age to be looking for a job and/or changing vocations and it gets worse as you get older. Does this mean he has to bend over and take whatever management wants to do? NOPE, that is why we have a union, protection from being unfairly treated.
Some in this thread even went as far as to insinuate that PS was here just for the money. Well, DUH that's why we all work for UPS, it sure isn't for the fine relationships we develop with the management team. Who here would do this for 1/2 of what we make now? Well Tieguy would, because that's what he did...take a pay cut to suit up. Oh yeah and BTW, Tieguy's response was typical management.


Thanks for your support.. There are times that maybe some of us had. Where we just hate what they do to us. The TIE-BOYS people.....Some on them are on this board in disquise or just brained washed enough to sound like them, telling us to just quit when we have differences. All I was doing was venting and I am happy to say that what you said is right. Over time, most of us had beefs with the company and that is why we come here for support. I can say things are going much better now At least get paid for the time we work.. ie: Working through 3rd and 5th our for lunch. Drivers get written up for missed pickups and after 5pm deliveries and taking your lunch is no excuse for disipline in our buildin. One driver said, Take your lunch and call in your missed pu's ect. ect...This doesn't work here.....Missed pickup is a Missed pickup regardless with your name on the pickup.

When we fall on hard times we hope our brothers will understand. Sometimes they don't but that is life. I agree on the age issue but I can say that I did graduate college but only with an Associates. I stay for most of the reasons that drivers do, especially the Teamster Pension and the 23 years time served of my life. Again thanks for your honesty and support!
 

paidslave

Well-Known Member
Why do we always have this conversation. People, TAKE YOUR ONE HOUR LUNCH at the prescribed time. NO termination will hold up at panel simply for taking your lunch at the correct time. It's the company's obligation to make sure your deliveries are not missed as long as you inform them


I am just curious how many times that you have went to panel and how do you know that it will hold up?

When you are to "work as instucted" I don't think you will have any argument at panel.. My opinion.......

For the rest of you please don't jump down my throat because I guarantee you there is a lot of talk here about panel and what not...Please don't respond if you never went to panel! Panel, everything deadlocks for your information and that is that! Been there and I know how it works more than once! All the scare tactics and what not! Like a mini-tribunal!~
 
In a perfect world all the panels lock up, then it goes to arbitration where someone is making decisions based on what is right or wrong. In a prefect world.
 

ImpactedTSG

Well-Known Member
Nothing seems to be fair with this company....Why is it? You want to take your lunch but you can't because you will have service failures and be in office. Seems like we are contractors. Get the job done. They don't want any excuses when they walk all over us..Cram your day so it makes it impossible to take your lunch...Makes me want to cry literally! Been with this company for way to long and seen many ways this company wants to steal from employess, customers and whomever they can to get their numbers....I have never seen such tyranny....I have a hard time making it the whole day with this route let alone give my lunch up and be beaten up the next day about how horribe your performance is...Pathetic place to work for! UPs does suck and they will never get it right...Lawsuit after Lawsuit Unhappy customers unhappy employees makes a mess of an outfit! There is no way out happy, here it seems! Honestly I hope that we do strike again!!!!!!!!
If it is that bad, why stay? UPS is one company of millions that you could be working for.
 
If it is that bad, why stay? UPS is one company of millions that you could be working for.
Easily said by someone that is probably relatively young with a college degree in some computer related field. You bailed from a no-sweat office job because you didn't like the "direction" the company's technology was heading. You clearly had viable options, not everyone has the same.
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
This is where I have a big time problem with you, UPS Lifer. You are still talking as if you're behind the desk in your office or in the middle of a PCM. Enough is enough, take your lunch everyday, it's YOUR time and it's part of this job.

"Good intentions don't go unnoticed or unfulfilled." -- This quote sickens me on many levels. You are flatout telling this guy that skipping his lunch puts a star on his jacket in the eyes of management. Yet you're gonna sit here and tell everyone that you don't condone drivers skipping their lunch. Can you be anymore full of crap? How exactly would you reward him for skipping his lunch like a good peon, UPS Lifer? You're retired and still talking out of both sides of your mouth, give it a rest.

"Most have walked in your shoes" -- No, most haven't walked in our shoes and that's where most of these problems are stemming from. You can't manage or supervise a job that you've never done yourself and in some cases can't do.

Hey Griff - you are a 25 year old "kid" who hasn't grown up yet. One day you will wake up and have a different outlook on life but for now "it is what it is"! My guess is your management team has a target on your head because of your terrible attitude about everything!

When you look for the good in things you will find it..!

I believe in Karma and you are getting yours on a day to day basis. I really feel bad for you! if you believe in Karma - Good intentions do not go unnoticed or unfulfilled!! (either do bad intentions go unnoticed or unfulfilled) - you should heed my warnings on this!!!

The key is not to do good things because you want to expect good things to happen to you - you do them because it is the right thing to do! One day a brick will fall out of the sky and you will see the silver lining that is in each cloud. So ...I will continue to put positive energy out there for you to reach for.
 

Griff

Well-Known Member
Hey Griff - you are a 25 year old "kid" who hasn't grown up yet. One day you will wake up and have a different outlook on life but for now "it is what it is"! My guess is your management team has a target on your head because of your terrible attitude about everything!

When you look for the good in things you will find it..!

I believe in Karma and you are getting yours on a day to day basis. I really feel bad for you! if you believe in Karma - Good intentions do not go unnoticed or unfulfilled!! (either do bad intentions go unnoticed or unfulfilled) - you should heed my warnings on this!!!

The key is not to do good things because you want to expect good things to happen to you - you do them because it is the right thing to do! One day a brick will fall out of the sky and you will see the silver lining that is in each cloud. So ...I will continue to put positive energy out there for you to reach for.

So are you denying the fact that you talk out of both sides of your mouth? How exactly can you be a staunch advocate for people taking their entitled lunch, yet a few sentences later claim that skipping it is a "good intention". You make no sense and you come off as the prototypical management liar. I'm glad you didn't directly respond to anything that I said, exactly what I thought you'd do. Spew more of the same old minutia about unrelated things, derailing the conversation.

What's a terrible attitude? You mean questioning things and calling people out on their lies, dishonesty and flatout evilness? Yeah, I guess I have a horrible attitude because I'm not a malleable zombie. This is the reason they have a target on my head. They also think because I'm one of the younger drivers (as you so eloquently pointed out) that I don't know my rights and certainly don't expect me to take a stand for them. The new breed of 20's drivers runs all day like a dog and skips their lunch. I've never done this, not even in my 30 day trial, so it's on UPS for hiring me in the first place. I'm sorry that I'm not willing to give up $9,000-10,000 a YEAR for you and your friends UPS Lifer. It's a shame you weren't my center manager, I'd get to tell you to your face what I really think about you and not have to worry about being censored by this website.
 
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