Could NOT believe this when I read it. Paid lunches/breaks to Hammond employees

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_0dbf51be-e978-5919-a2bf-ec071af1d770.html

I do not get paid by my employer now, nor in the past for two fifteen minute breaks required by FEDERAL LAW, and my lunch break. I reported to work at 7:30 a.m. and was allowed only two fifteen minute breaks. One at 10:00 a.m. and one before my 9 hour shift (because they did not pay you for breaks or lunch), ended. Lunch was 30 minutes. You didn't get paid for those breaks or lunches. Believe me, the stress I and other co workers went through without union representation was more tasking than driving a dump truck picking up garbage, sitting at a desk, answering phones.

We were the backbone of the company. Without us, the company and salesmen couldn't exist. The economy took it all away.

But even now, after landing a dream job, I am not paid for lunch or breaks. There are times and a lot of times I don't take lunch or breaks. Because I am that grateful for what job I landed.

It's absurd in this time to PAY any employee while not working, if you want to really save your own job. Whether it's private, or a politically-connected job, savor it, treasure it, and do all you can to help save money.

Bow your head in shame, Mr. McDermott.You may be a lawyer, but I don't think you're an "economist". I think any fifth-grader is smarter than you.

Much to do about nothin...very few get an hour and even fewer take it! As a dept. head I am entitled to it but I can not remember a time when I took a full hour. Today I had a chicken sandwich in my truck between inspections= 5minutes plus the time ijn the drive through. So before you let them get you in a tizzy learn more about what they are talking about.

union guys for the city all get one paid 15 and unpaid half hour for lunch.

most dept heads i know spend most lunches with their deputies and one could argue they are working during those lunches already....

hell some depts...like econ development get most of their best work done during there lunch meetings.

its just bob grandstanding again. remember this...all of those officials demanding pay cuts for employees etc....not one of them have yet made a motion to cut their own pay. sure it would be mostly just symbolic....but until they do its nothing but grandstanding.

voter3 wrote:

Much to do about nothin...very few get an hour and even fewer take it! As a dept. head I am entitled to it but I can not remember a time when I took a full hour. Today I had a chicken sandwich in my truck between inspections= 5minutes plus the time ijn the drive through. So before you let them get you in a tizzy learn more about what they are talking about.

Maybe I'm wrong on this but doesn't that make you an exempt salaried upper management position and the Federal laws do not even apply to your position? So it then is a matter of unenforced city policy, not law. But I will tell you this. Every company I've ever worked for in the private sector was very careful to make hourly employees take those breaks because they didn't want to mess with lawsuits on that.

I'm not so sure I agree that it's an insignificant matter as those paid breaks are part of the employees' compensation package. OTOH it should also be factored in when raises are considered because as pointed out in the private sector you aren't usually paid for lunch. So that's a an extra 2 1/2 - 5 hrs of pay a week. But they should actually take it those breaks. It's only right since that's their compensation plan.

If I chose to take an hour break I could...no one is telling me to cut it short, it is called work ethic. I am not going to sit at a table after I have already eaten to fill up my allowed hour, to me that is a waste of time.

Not to go too far off on that tangent but there have been studies that show you might want to consider taking some quiet time for yourself. Even a short nap if you can manage it can be beneficial to your well being.

With all this talk about the cost of healthcare perhaps one of the best preventative measures you can take is taking some time to relax and mellow. How many people suffer burnout from the often hectic, fast paced world we live in?

I honestly believe the guys that posted. I know them in certain terms that they are very hard workers. I just had in mind, clerical workers, etc. Upper management, yes. Lower ones, i.e., clerical...well, I don't know if they belong to a union, but it would be pretty generous to give them that time off.

None of the clerical workers in City Hall or any other city department are in a union. I think the total of non-union employees are about 40 or so in the city. Most employees are either teamsters or fire or police or trade unions, like electricians or plumbers.
I find this funny that Bob would bring this up now since he voted for this change 2-3 years ago when the new employee handbook was passed by the council and Dabertin mentioned this was one of the changes.