Sounds silly but this is causing me a real pain.

At work we have a new vending machine for drinks which charges 20p / cup and can be used at any time but many people claim the quality is so poor thay would rather bring in a kettle and make their own.

The company have decided they don't want staff making their own coffee because it takes more time and results in jars of coffee, whitener etc around the shop floor.

To overcome this one of the other managers wants to do do away with allowing the machine to be used at any time and instead introduce a fixed tea break allowing only water to be drunk at any other time.

He believes we are very unusual in allowing access to the drinks machine at any time.

What's the situation where you work?

we have loads of tea rooms that we can use whenever we want and don't have to pay for tea / coffee etc

We have vending machines, for chocolate, crisp, tea coffee, and also free tea. coffee milk, so we can make our own, any time, your boss seems a bit tight, only allowing water etc

It really depend on the company, one that I used to work for only allowed set tea breaks, but my current employer doesn't have any set breaks, it is really up to the employer, although regulation do state you are entitle to break after working for so many hours (Not sure of the regulation)

Tea breaks when I like, but as I only leave work when I've cleared my desk there's no point shirking anyway.

He does sound a bit tight.

Is it the wasted time or the mess the company are complaining about?

If mess, then it's an easy fix - stop making it.

If it's the time, then perhaps productivity shoud slow down 20% when they remove "tea when you like" regulations and everyone takes cigarette breaks whether they smoke or not....

He is going to nob a load of people off - it doesnt really matter if other companies are tight, all the staff will see is something they used to have, has been be taken off them.

Why not just get better quality drinks machines in and "subsidise" them - the retail cost is no where near what you will get it supplied at - so dont make a profit out of it and the workers think they are getting a little something for less, when they arn't.

Loads of places supply decent quality vending.

Is he going to apply the same policy to himself?

Seems as tight as a nuns **** to me.

I've not worked anywhere that has anything other than set tea break times - where I work now the drinks vending machines are free , and we allso only get a 1/2 hour lunch break......

Where I work has free vending machines plus a subsidised Starbucks+restaurant.

No set break times. Just make sure your work is done.

[Edited on 12/8/08 by stevebubs]

officaly we have a refeshment break as and when we want, for 5 mins, in reality we have 15 mins at 9 11 and 3pm, we have vending machines £0.25 a brew 50p a can or 2 kitchen faciltys just in our building, toaster microwave kettles ect

IIRC, you cannot be made to work more than 4 hours without a break. Our guys on the shop floor get 15mins at 10, 30mins at 12 and 15 mins at 2:30.
H&S don't like any food to be consumed in a work environment unless it is a foody environment. In fact, the HSE recommends any breaks to be taken away from your workstation!
We don't allow ANY food on the shop floor and only (free) bottles of water to be drunk. IT'S THE LAW. Probably.

Shop floor staff have tea brakes, people who don't have machines to look after or production lines to keep up with don't. Vending machines are in the brake room and the corridor in the factory. Kettles are in the offices. You can't have food or drink near the machines or product but can anywhere else at any time.

most of my work is in domestic houses so nearly always get a brew made for me if not and im thirsty i just ask if still not then i put a little extra on there bill this is what most tradesmen i know do

Could having a fixed tea break mean there would be a big queue for the facilities provided?

Would it mean work would be left un-attended or in a dangerous state, or phone calls unanswered if you all "downed tools" when set time arrives.

Try and turn it around thats its a benefit to them when you take your breaks, we've had them nag about it at work before but where heating engineers so you just give them hyperthetical situations that make there idea of a set time break sound stupid.

"ohh sorry sir.. I know there's water p*ssing through the ceiling.. you've not hot water.. etc but it now 10:00 and its our break so we'll see you in 10

Or if he really likes his rip-off drinks in a crappy plastic cups, you can get the same drinks or better from the pound shops already in their cups etc think thats for 10 or 12 ish... no mess with the milk etc then.

In my place we have free access to a proper coffee machine, kettle, cafetiere coffee pots, tea, toast and other provisions, to take as and when we feel like. Oh, and a pool table!

However, we are expected to work quite intensively, so a cup of coffee and a 10-minute game of pool once or twice a day is great relief from concentrating in front of 3 screens (that talk to 5 computers! )

Form a union, go on strike, job done. Well, job not done, at least until you get a cuppa, but you know what I mean

My coffee breaks tend to take place at *ahem* 70mph *ahem* between sites

I am self employed and have a tea break when I want - so there

quote:

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Originally posted by 82 Locost
Tea breaks when I like, but as I only leave work when I've cleared my desk there's no point shirking anyway.

He does sound a bit tight.

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in our place we have a vending machine in the workshop, Who's allowed to stop and eat a packet of crisps outside of tea break seems to depend on whos eating them.

Same on our side of the store counter a couple can walk of into canteen (different from one i have to use i have to go to engineers one) to make a brew whenever suits 1 fella reguarly clocks in early and gets time and a half to eat his sausage rolls and surf the net. I get dirty looks for stoppin for drink of water when counters NOT busy!!!

i work for a major insuarnce firm so things liek tea breaks are notreally done.

my floor has 2 tea/coffee machines on free vend plus two powow water supplys.

we also have a crisp/cho vending and fizzy drink vender at cost to the staff.

we encourage an hour long lunch break but its hard to really take a full hour, just back to back meetings and project work etc

Depends on company and nature of business.

Pharamaceutical manufacturing? - id guess strict break times in designated areas only.

Working with chemicals / substances (to use the new REACH term) - id guess designated areas only.

Standard manufacturing shop floor - id guess loosely enforced break times only.

Last automotive place i worked at (and Coozer) - Only when your buzzer goes off and only on designated area no matter who you are.

Office type environment - for me anyway i can have one whenever i like but dont work fixed hours.

seems like there are some fairly crap employers out there! I let my lads sit down whenever they want, so long as i feel they're working hard in between!