lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

working through lunch - never off duty pressure - metro 19.09.17

we are all being squeezed
every business is competing
will the pressure be eased
my lunch break gets no sweetening.
you have got your load
it may not be reachable
staying late makes you explode
by choice a working lunch makes you liable.
your boss does not care
they just want profit on the sheet
complaining about enthusiasm will spare
its called manipulation through deceit.
jumping with pleasure
this news paper build me like lego
never off duty here but no pressure
in bed in early hours i cruse metro.

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

I have had many jobs over the years where the pressure was that great that lunch time came and went without me noticing and no one said you need to stop now and take a break.

The job I do now is not so high pressured so I take 30 minutes for lunch and look forward to it as it gives me a breather.

I would not go back to that way of working, alright I was very well paid but it took its toll on my frame of mind.

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

Some folks pressurize themselves, a bad (efficient) gaffer recognises this, and sometimes capitalizes on the persons disposition. Imo.

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

I very rarely took a lunch break, just continued working at my desk and eating my sandwich. Working as a medical secretary it was the only time between clinics and ward rounds that I could see the consultant and talk through the work necessary. I always arrived half an hour early in the mornings too and did not take coffee breaks. We always said the NHS survived through the goodwill of the staff. I loved my job and would not have changed anything.

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

ceecee= you are good stuff but I think you are being taken advantage of. you might be needing the NHS more then they need you. I do understand your passion and love for the job but you have to slow down a bit. well that's my 10 cents anyway. and in a non poem lol.

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

For many years I'd taken, and needed, an hour for a lunch break. Then suddenly within the NHS offices (my last job) I was expected to only take half an hour, because instead of leaving at 5.30, staff finished at 5, so could only have 30 minutes lunch.

I felt it was never enough for me, and did resist this for a time, as I was only paid for what I worked. I used to go out for a walk after eating, but obviously half an hour only didn't allow for this.

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

I only got paid for 8.30 - 5 pm, no overtime ever, but I worked it out that for over twenty years the NHS actually got six days worth of work out of me every week, when being paid for five. If there was a backlog of work then occasionally I would go in on a Saturday morning (unpaid).

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

CeeCee, I too am ex NHS and it's true , they relied on us to work over and above to get the work covered

Yes we were entitled to an hours unpaid break and a 15 min paid break. No one ever took the hour, you couldn't complete the work if you did. Start at 9 and finish at 5? Not a mission. Most days I started at 8.30 and finished at 5.30. Giving up lunch, the NHS was getting at least 90 mins a day FOC from me, and I wasn't a loan wolf. We did it so patients didn't suffer any more then they already did

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

Is anyone still exploiting themselves or Is all the chat retrospective?

Re: lunch break law ? yey or ney ?

When I retired my replacement could not cope with the workload (for three Consultants) so they then employed another secretary to assist.