Banning fag breaks?

[DJ Squelch]

In America some companys even ban employees from smoking when they're at home and they can be tested to make sure they don't have traces of nicotine in their blood.

In January 2004, Weyco banned smoking from its property; and began issuing breath tests to see if employees smoked. If they tested positive, they were charged $50 a month if they weren't enrolled in a cessation program.

This month, the company tested everyone again. Four people opted out of the test and were let go, Climes said.

The no-smoking policy is part of the company's overall goal for healthy lifestyles, as Weyco employs a full-time health expert to consult workers on diet and nutrition, he said.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0501/27/A01-71823.htm

I'm sure we will be seeing this in the Uk in the near future if it's not already happening.

 

[meems]

if you treat people like children they'll act like children. IME there's no real difference between smokers and non-smokers per se - a blagger will take the piss regardless of whether or not they smoke. it's quite possible for a non-smoker to spend major amounts of time gossiping on the phone, in the kitchen, or surfing the internets.

most offices simply can't enforce a smoking ban without bannig breaks altogether - and they'll lose more worktime through resentment-based dossing thann fagbreaks. their tough luck IMO.

-bluestreak

 

[Termite Man]

Considering how much of my taxes goes to pay for pension rights for civil servants I think they should work 24/7 without any breaks at all, no weekends off and no holidays cept xmas day.

If your that bothered about paying for pension rights for civil servants you should encourage them to smkoe so they don't live as long

 

[spacemonkey]

When I worked for HSE, a couple of the women on my team kicked up a fuss cos me and one of the others fellas used to nip out for fag breaks (max 2 a day)

They would literally spend hours everyday browsing the internet and talking crap, while when we were at our desks we used to just get on with out work quite well, it was so hypocritical.

 

[_angel_]

In America some companys even ban employees from smoking when they're at home and they can be tested to make sure they don't have traces of nicotine in their blood.



http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0501/27/A01-71823.htm

I'm sure we will be seeing this in the Uk in the near future if it's not already happening.

Jesus.

 

[Autonomous]

if you treat people like children they'll act like children. IME there's no real difference between smokers and non-smokers per se - a blagger will take the piss regardless of whether or not they smoke. it's quite possible for a non-smoker to spend major amounts of time gossiping on the phone, in the kitchen, or surfing the internets.

most offices simply can't enforce a smoking ban without bannig breaks altogether - and they'll lose more worktime through resentment-based dossing thann fagbreaks. their tough luck IMO.

-bluestreak

Hit the nail on the head on the head with that post.

 

[Autonomous]

Hi. Is this the life you live.

Yeah, and my thread just ate up a few minutes of your life, which sucks because obviously you'd normally be doing something wildly exciting instead. Twat.

 

[laptop]

Some days, I get as much work done during fag breaks as I do in the rest of the day, surrounded by noisy twitching gossiping colleagues...

 

[Relahni]

I had a fag break that lasted two hours once.

 

[StanSmith]

Why should smokers have extra breaks? Over an average day how many extra breaks does a smoker have? 40 mins?

Times that over a 5 day week in a 4 week month and thats 13+ hours a month!

Depending on your job you need someone to cover for you while you are having a smoke, why should a non-smoker pick up the tab for a smokers extra breaks?

 

[Relahni]

Why should smokers have extra breaks? Over an average day how many extra breaks does a smoker have? 40 mins?

Times that over a 5 day week in a 4 week month and thats 13+ hours a month!

Depending on your job you need someone to cover for you while you are having a smoke, why should a non-smoker pick up the tab for a smokers extra breaks?

to wind people like you up.

 

[JTG]

people who bitch about other people taking a break are nobs to be fair

 

[Roadkill]

people who bitch about other people taking a break are nobs to be fair

Yup. It's so petty.

 

[panpete]

Ooooohh thats bad, original poster.
I used to work as a civil servant for years, and the fag breaks were the best thing about it. (barring the cloying atmosphere of those in a bad mood, polluting the fagash air with bad vibes)
Smokings one of those insane double-bind situations associated with abuse of power, on a collective basis.
To explain, on the one hand, there's a strong pressure to be seen as cool, and smoking is pushed, albeit not directly, onto the masses.
On the other hand, are the health evangelists who fanaticize about clean air, and then drive gas guzzling polluters about.
Is the job worth the stopping fags?
Are the fags worth keeping?
Is this a cue for me to look for a job I like more?
etc...
Questions, questions, all individual circumstances for each person.

 

[StanSmith]

to wind people like you up.

Well it doesnt wind me up really because I smoke as well so thats pissed on your chips hasnt it?

 

[JTG]

Well it doesnt wind me up really because I smoke as well so thats pissed on your chips hasnt it?

no, he said people like you

 

[StanSmith]

no, he said people like you

People like me? Its great to be liked.

 

[panpete]

people who bitch about other people taking a break are nobs to be fair

I always had a feeling (i coudn't put my finger on at the time when I worked as a CS) that it was never really about the smoking breaks themselves, which was behind the bitching, but an excuse to express resentment about something more personal, to the person doing the bitching. It was about the desire to release frustration in an underhand way, and also a desire for power, the smokers, sportsclub members, union reps, telephoning friends offenders, or any other break taker.

The bitcher, among other things, had resentment about their own sense of powerlessness, someone purloining part of them, maybe their time.

 

[JTG]

I always had a feeling (i coudn't put my finger on at the time) that it was never really about the smoking breaks themselves, which was behind the bitching, but an excuse to express resentment about something more personal, to the person doing the bitching. It was about the desire to release frustration in an underhand way, and also a desire for power, the smokers, sportsclub members, union reps, telephoning friends offenders, or any other break taker.

The bitcher, among other things, had resentment about their own sense of powerlessness, someone purloining part of them, maybe their time.

Probably. people with no imagination who can't work out how to reclaim their time from their employer.

I've just become a union rep, superb, more time doing something other than work

 

[Teaboy]

I once worked in a sales office where I was the only non-smoker (out of about nine), apart from feeling a little left out from some of the banter it never really bothered me, it really didnt make any difference to me. I can understand why it might annoy managers though, the look on the managers' face when he came in to the office to see just me sat there on the phone whilst all the other phone lines rang off the hook, priceless.

 

[Badgers]

I have quiet a few smoke breaks most days
Then again I am normally in the office 30 minutes earlier than most non-smoking colleagues (who also put in 6 hours of facebook a day) so not bothered.

 

[rutabowa]

isn't it the law you have to have 15 minutes break every 2 hours as well as at least half an hour every 4?

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

fundamental change in working practise is what you are looking at here tbh... talk to your union. If they have been previously allowed then this consitutes a fundemental change in working practise...

 

[ruffneck23]

when i smoked , we used to have 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon ( 5mins.. ) , that was in the Croydon office and i remember getting grassed up by another memeber of staff for running outside and having 1/2 a cig after a particularly stressful call i had to take. Over in the Dublin office you can have as many as you like.....

I personally dont care who goes and has a cig where and when and if i did id just get up and go for a coffee in the kitchen as we are all entitled to break smokers or no , I tend to find that the people who smoke dont take advantage of the break then bitch about it ( well in our office anyhoo!! )

 

[cesare]

isn't it the law you have to have 15 minutes break every 2 hours as well as at least half an hour every 4?

No.

Minimum is 20 minutes for every 6 hours continuous working (unless you're a Young Worker, then it's longer).

 

[girasol]

If non-smokers are unhappy that they're getting fewer breaks, why shouldn't they take some for themselves rather than trying to take them away from their workmates?

Indeed.

Also, I thought that for people working on computers you have to have a 15 minute break every 2 hours (but maybe not, just seen cesare's post)

 

[poster342002]

fundamental change in working practise is what you are looking at here tbh... talk to your union. If they have been previously allowed then this consitutes a fundemental change in working practise...

What if it turns out the union is in favour of the ban?

[I'll probably get the usual tirade of snarling abuse, here ... ]

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

What if it turns out the union is in favour of the ban?

[I'll probably get the usual tirade of snarling abuse, here ... ]

they would still have an obligation to investigate and resovle any fundemantal changes in working practice.

You don't get abuse you get it pointed out to you that you know nothing of modern unions, employment legislation and are rather viccious towards the open and helpful union representatives and employment workers here on a personal level as well as spouting nonsensical illogical outdate advice which will damage anyone attempting to use it.

Cross threading is banned by the FAQ by the way and any continuation of it will result in you being reported. if you have any response then i'd suggest you go back to the thread you are bitching about and discuss it there.

 

[cesare]

Indeed.

Also, I thought that for people working on computers you have to have a 15 minute break every 2 hours (but maybe not, just seen cesare's post)

It's certainly advisable for people doing nonstop work on computers to take a break away from the screen regularly, but that's to do different type of work rather than a rest break as such. The Display Screen Regulations don't stipulate the length of time but the HSE guidelines say that shorter breaks at shorter intervals e.g. 5-10 minutes 'looking away' per hour is better than 15 mins 'looking away' every 2 hours.

 

[poster342002]

Cross threading is banned by the FAQ by the way and any continuation of it will result in you being reported. if you have any response then i'd suggest you go back to the thread you are bitching about and discuss it there.

"Miss! Miss! Miss! He swore miss!"

I'm not mentioning any other thread here. Care to point out where you seem to think I have?

You really are something else at times.