Walked out

ceridwen

Sorrees...O.P. - right at this moment it simply isnt possible to tell whether you should be making allowance for the fact that "life happens" and deaths happen and sometimes one has to just get on with making allowances - or whether there are some mitigating circumstances of your own that mean its not reasonable to expect you to make allowances for this fact.

Can we have some more information please?

CBR

Hi

I have noticed your post with interest and I hold my hand up to you for standing your ground.

I myself ran a service station for many years and whenever my staff required their breaks I always had to return to the station and cover the breaks. It really was a pain in the rear end as apart from being on call 16 hours a day, I had to make myself available to cover breaks.

I am apalled that your Contract Manager does not do this for you.

I have on many occasions done 17 hour shifts in the station without a break when staff have called in sick or I have had to cover for holidays. It is a very anti social job and also badly paid.

Sorry to hear of your bad experience and try to move on quickly.

ceridwen

Well - actually I dont - ie "hold my hand up to you".

I am waiting for further information on this - but, right at this very moment, ummm........

There ARE times when one simply has to make allowance for other peoples lives - and I am waiting to see whether O.P. does this...or it all goes one way...

So - O.P. - stop "viewing the thread" and give us some more information. Without it - we are in the dark...

terra_ferma

januk wrote: »

terra my contracted hours are 24 and not 60 i do have a family , i dont work for the fun of it , but thanks everyone for advice will contact cab tomorrow or someone similar .

I don't know if there are things you have not said in your post, but just missing a couple of breaks is not the worst that can happen in a job, and walking out just because of that seems like an extreme reaction.
However if they were not paying you for working additional hours than it's a different story...

CBR

Yes, I agree we do have to make allowances for other peoples problems. I, as an employer always did.

Staff should be treated well. Many of my staff did not take advantage of breaks as it was in fact easier to work a seven hour shift straight through and take advantage of a lull in customers and take an unofficial break as and when.

One member of my staff was a diabetic and therefore meal breaks etc were imperative.

The employer should be providing cover for breaks or offering the employee a choice of working through.

ceridwen

Hmmm....O.P.'s last activity today was 7.58pm - after quite some time spent "viewing this thread" - and no response to questions.............


One just gets the feeling that O.P. wants what they want regardless....I hope I am proved wrong.:cool:

Raksha

Many years ago (30) I worked in a newly opened petrol station - it was one of the few then 'open' 24 hours a day.

For some time there were only 2 members of staff to operate it, we worked 12 hours shifts and closed the site for 30 min breaks as necessary. I would have thought that offering to close the site for your minimum break if there was no body to relieve you would have been a better solution.

paulwf

I think it is really a question of balance. There is a world of difference between a shift where you can have a bottle of water with you and grab a quick snack or nip to the loo when it is quiet and shifts like I used to do where on the shop floor you had no drink or food and limited access to toilet facilities. It is also a case of how long it went on for and how pro-active you were in asking for cover. I think only you really know the answer OP as to whether or not you have a case.

DVardysShadow

Correct way to handle the situation is to tell the employer that you will be taking your breaks and if relief is not provided lock up shop to take them. If you get grief because of this, or you are not able to lock up, then to raise a grievance. You would be on stronger ground for statutory breaks than for contractual breaks, but this should be OK for contractual breaks.

You should have gone through that process before thinking about constructive dismissal.

bethesda

my husband has just started work for a petrol station working 8 hours a day, he doesn't get breaks and is often so busy he doesn't get chance to have a drink! i think it must be the norm as he got told he won't get breaks and the law doesn't apply for 24 hour petrol stations.