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Shift Leader - Breaks & No security guards in morning.

Started by Youngmod93, 11-06-19, 11:57PM

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Youngmod93

Hey,

I currently work in a busy store in the main city centre.

I've recently been told we need to write our breaks in the blue book to get paid. I've spoken to other shift leaders round this area & also asked them if they've been getting paid breaks some say it's so inconsistent & some have never been paid breaks.

I'm mostly without another management team member in the evenings & some mornings. So even if I leave to sit down for a break, I will still need to answer double bells. I roughly take 30 minutes break if I'm lucky. Considering we do 9 hours a day and get paid 7.5 is shocking.

Customer team member does 9 hours shift - gets 60 mins unpaid break = £8.42 x 8 =£67.34
Shift leader does 9 hour shift - gets 90 minutes unpaid break = £10.29 x 7.5 = £77.17

So basically the customer team member can leave the building for one hour & do as they please.
Me on the other hand and other shift leaders have to answer bells on break and only able to take 30 minutes if we're lucky.


StoreManager

Your getting a ten how much are you looking for.  >:D

spacerman

The joys of earning £10 more per shift than someone else, don't like it step down and have your hour. That £100 to £150 extra a month would happily be accepted by the lesser paid person who would happily give up the hour.

Tesco insists we take the unpaid break even if we do not want the full 60 minutes I would happily give up 50% of my break for more money.

StoreManager

Try 90mins break on a nightshift and going back to a checkout knowing you've nothing much to do.  :'(

Expressdude2016


Not sure what you complaint is if you don't get to take a full 90 minutes of break on shift you get paid for it all you do is write it on safe and legal book as per policy. Why do you think the pages are in safe and legal book .


Quote from: Youngmod93 on 11-06-19, 11:57PM
Hey,

I currently work in a busy store in the main city centre.

I've recently been told we need to write our breaks in the blue book to get paid. I've spoken to other shift leaders round this area & also asked them if they've been getting paid breaks some say it's so inconsistent & some have never been paid breaks.

I'm mostly without another management team member in the evenings & some mornings. So even if I leave to sit down for a break, I will still need to answer double bells. I roughly take 30 minutes break if I'm lucky. Considering we do 9 hours a day and get paid 7.5 is shocking.

Customer team member does 9 hours shift - gets 60 mins unpaid break = £8.42 x 8 =£67.34
Shift leader does 9 hour shift - gets 90 minutes unpaid break = £10.29 x 7.5 = £77.17

So basically the customer team member can leave the building for one hour & do as they please.
Me on the other hand and other shift leaders have to answer bells on break and only able to take 30 minutes if we're lucky.

Youngmod93

I new I would get the comment of don't like it step down.
Well I'm quite happy being a shift leader but the fact we're working an hour free is expected of us. That's over £205 every 4 weeks we should be entitled to. Tescos as company expects me to take 90mins break on every shift. It's impossible to take the full 90 minutes.

Expressdude2016

No one commented if you don't  like it step down. You don't seem to understand you get paid for you break if you can't take it fully uninterrupted so why are you still whining about it.

Trickster

The bottom line is

If there is no-one trained o shift leader standard to run the shift so you can take your 1 1/2 hour break then you are entitled to be paid your break as you are on call.

When the briefing came out nearly 2 years ago allegedly the SM is supposed to do the Management rota  a minimum of 4 weeks in advance, (I hear you all laugh) and indicate within that rota where they believe that there is no-one trained to the required standard to cover the store to allow you to take your 1 1/2 hour break away from the building if you so wished and in doing so you should be paid.

After the rota has been completed they were supposed to record in the S & L book what breaks they have agreed to pay for the said period.Unless that process has been changed recently, it is the Store Manager who makes the entry. Shift leaders only make an entry if they have had authorisation from the Store Manager or Buddy Manager if circumstances have changed from the minimum of 4 weeks rota we have received.

If for whatever reason you are not able to take an un-interupted break due to minimum staffing for health, safety and security reasons. i.e. They have not put sufficient customer assistants in, ,( this never happens, i hear you say) or someone rings in sick or there is no  person trained to the required standard you are to contact your SM or Buddy Manage in their absence and ask if they are going to authorise the break to be paid and record in the S & L book if this is the case.

In ALL  CASES irrespective if you are getting paid this process DOES NOT over ride the minimum of 20 minutes break, within 6 hours of your shift  without disturbance you are allowed as per the working time regulations.

The briefing did stipulate that it is your Store managers responsibility to ensure ALL rotas Staff and Management are 4 weeks in advance and it is their responsibility to endeavour to ensure that there are resources available as Paid breaks should NOT be the norm it should be on rare occasions.

On Our Tesco it states Your Manager will inform you when your break should be taken  for the needs of the business and the individual. (This is in general for all staff not just Shift leaders in Express)

My own opinion from experience, are Store Managers capeable of following this process?........ in a majority of cases that I have seen the answer is NO. Hence why the briefing was never made fully available to shift leaders and is not made totally clear what was supposed to have been briefed.

To re-iterate....if there is no-one trained to the required standard to deal with health safety and security issues within the store allowing you to leave the building then you should be paid your break........If your Store manager refuses to pay your break then just ask who you are to hand the Store over to whilst you take your break and leave the building for the breaks entirety, if he says nobody then you are to be paid if not document everything and raise a grievance.

Lets be honest In all honesty, Express is a shambles......The senior team have mostly come from large format and those that have not have been brainwashed into the who cares about the shift leader and their workload mode,  the resources made available half the time are a disgrace specially unsociable times, one on one on back shifts and weekends is becoming the norm. The only time resources are made available and suddenly most of the staff are available is if there is a visit from the SM or the area managers seniors are visiting and all work comes to a standstill, facing up , cleaning takes label walks take  presidence over filling and serving the customer as for thoughts of shift leaders breaks well in my experience they are the lowest priority of all and yet it is the law yes the law of the land that everyone gets some sort of un-interupted break.

Me I have learnt to play the game, however will not work through my break or be on call without being paid!!!!

NightAndDay

To all the idiots saying you get paid for not taking your break so stop whining and that there's a reason it's in the safe and legal log book. Employment law (working time regulations) (Tescos safe and legal book is an auditing tool to show compliance with the law) states that all employees must get x amount of break per shift. Tesco is breaking the law in that regard, but nobody will challenge them.

As for comments saying there are lots of people who will sacrifice their break for an extra tenner per shift if you don't like it step down, they wouldn't be saying that if they were doing a shift leaders role, they are hilariously underpaid for what they do, I was a shift leader and quit for a job that pays twice as much and I can take my break when I want, it's very easy to find a job better than shift leader.

Teddybonkers

You must have known beforehand that as a Shift Leader you're extremely unlikely to get full uninterrupted breaks. Doesn't make it right, but that's the harsh reality of working in Express. So why whinge about it now :question:

Trickster

I take on board what you are saying however the policy changed September 2017 . and what I stated is absoloute fact.

Just because it was accepted prior to this does not mean it should be allowed to continue.

policies are policies , but more importantly Law is law

if you are not able to leave your place of work you are classed as being on call, so therefore if you are on call you should be paid accordingly, that is the law of the land

its not about whining its about what is right and legal

Not even Tesco or any Sm is above the law.....despite what they may think sometimes.

I assume you are either an SM or get paid for your breaks

Preacherpauly

Shift leaders cant take full breaks, bank holidays moved to sat and sunday for night workers so they dont have to paynout more, time and a half cut, double time taken away on sundays and now the bonus gone. And we all accept it. No wonder they continue to mug us off.

Nomad

Quote from: Trickster on 12-06-19, 01:38PM
........
policies are policies , but more importantly Law is law
..........

I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment.  Right is right/wrong is wrong, nothing annoys me more than those who think otherwise.
Nomad ( Forum Admin )
It's better to be up in arms than down on your knees.

Teddybonkers

Policies are policies, law is law - do me a favour!  Who do you think is gonna investigate you're grievance - a SM, AM, HR? Unfortunately, its YOU who will be regarded as the problem, and YOU who will face the consequences in whatever form they may take. That's why nobody complains and management continue to get away with it. If management were serious about this, a budget would be set aside in each store and it would be easy to claim. In reality you either step down or suck it up, cos you ain't gonna win this one.

Preacherpauly

Quote from: Preacherpauly on 12-06-19, 02:14PM
Shift leaders cant take full breaks, bank holidays moved to sat and sunday for night workers so they dont have to paynout more, time and a half cut, double time taken away on sundays and now the bonus gone. And we all accept it. No wonder they continue to mug us off.

I should say our union accepts it and mugs us off

penguin

It is all well and good saying what the law or policy is, but how many S.M bully shift leaders into accepting missed, intrupted breaks without payment. About a year ago express shift leaders in our area had a big meeting with the Area Manager and someone from head office to look into why so many shift leaders leave the job after a few months, breaks were one of the main issues that came up, response from Area Manager was if you cannot take your full break for any reason was its a local issue as most stores do not have this problem. Yes we all know that is a load of rubbish but shows what the people in charge think.

Do not let anyone tell you there is not a decent job and life beyond Tesco.

StoreManager

Quote from: Teddybonkers on 12-06-19, 02:34PM
Policies are policies, law is law - do me a favour!  Who do you think is gonna investigate you're grievance - a SM, AM, HR? Unfortunately, its YOU who will be regarded as the problem, and YOU who will face the consequences in whatever form they may take. That's why nobody complains and management continue to get away with it. If management were serious about this, a budget would be set aside in each store and it would be easy to claim. In reality you either step down or suck it up, cos you ain't gonna win this one.

Teddybonkers  :thumbup:

Our managers think grievances against them are the Stars and Stripes of Tesco. The more they have the better.

penguin

Sounds like you and I could work in the same shop Overworked, managers in our place think its all a bit of a laugh when a grevaince goes in against them. Think of all the ones that have gone in over the last few years only on one occasion was the CA complaint found to be valid and upheld, and then all the manager in question got was next steps, a normal member of staff would have been out the door over what went on.
Do not let anyone tell you there is not a decent job and life beyond Tesco.

StoreManager

Penguin.  :thumbup:

This said I like to give them the Grievance tablet now and then if no improvement it'll at least put a smile on there face (the customers don't know it is for all the wrong reasons ;)). After all, they all like a sit down and something to talk about at the managers table/smoke shed. Some tablets will do while the mrs clearly isn't pumping them hard enough.

Nomad

Quote from: Teddybonkers on 12-06-19, 02:34PM
Policies are policies, law is law - do me a favour!  Who do you think is gonna investigate you're grievance - a SM, AM, HR? Unfortunately, its YOU who will be regarded as the problem, and YOU who will face the consequences in whatever form they may take. That's why nobody complains and management continue to get away with it. If management were serious about this, a budget would be set aside in each store and it would be easy to claim. In reality you either step down or suck it up, cos you ain't gonna win this one.

You have to have the bottle to do yourself the favour, as I did by taking them to the small claims court twice while in their employ and getting the monies owed to me on both occasions, and continuing in their employ after both cases.

Collect your evidence then if they don't pay then make your claim ( MCOL  ), if your evidence is good you'll get your money.
Nomad ( Forum Admin )
It's better to be up in arms than down on your knees.

overworkedexpresslad

well all I can say is...... if we cant take the breaks in my store we get paid what we don't have. express is different to other formats... we are left to run the show not like in extras where you CAN take your breaks..  dude if your getting chance to have your breaks then make sure your being paid and write it in the log book. good luck :) :)

jack_cohens_shame

I've got no sympathy for people that just roll over and let Tesco take the p**s. If there are lawful procedures and if it is your right then do it by the book and don't get shafted.

Welshie

I do have sympathy for the Express shift  leaders , I work pfs nights 10pm-7am , someone from store is meant to cover my breaks and every night it is a fight . I'm fed up complaining and fed up having to phone up store and practically beg for something I'm entitled to.
It shouldn't be that much of a fight and you shouldn't be made to feel that you're a "problem employee" when it's something you have the right to .

NightAndDay

Quote from: Nomad on 12-06-19, 05:29PM
Quote from: Teddybonkers on 12-06-19, 02:34PM
Policies are policies, law is law - do me a favour!  Who do you think is gonna investigate you're grievance - a SM, AM, HR? Unfortunately, its YOU who will be regarded as the problem, and YOU who will face the consequences in whatever form they may take. That's why nobody complains and management continue to get away with it. If management were serious about this, a budget would be set aside in each store and it would be easy to claim. In reality you either step down or suck it up, cos you ain't gonna win this one.

You have to have the bottle to do yourself the favour, as I did by taking them to the small claims court twice while in their employ and getting the monies owed to me on both occasions, and continuing in their employ after both cases.

Collect your evidence then if they don't pay then make your claim ( MCOL  ), if your evidence is good you'll get your money.

Surely if you win against Tesco in small claims an investigation occurs at the people manager/store manager level in why a court proceeding occurred in the first place?

Trickster

Teddybonkers

I 100% agree with what you are saying about grievances. i have seen so many SMs and people Managers lie for the glory badge at the end which they seem to wear with pride once a grievance process has been taken against them.However In the laws eyes you have to give them a chance to correct their ways, it is frowned upon by the judge if you do not give them an opportunity to put right before a hearing Where pay is concerned and monies owed for non payment you cannot lose trust me I know.

You can take them to a tribunal free of charge but you have to have gone through the process and watch them all lie their way through then make the application via acas. This part can be great fun seeing how many can suck up each others a%*e

As has previously stated they settle out of court every time because they do not want the publiciity of an open hearing. If you have any doubts in what I am saying go into the government website for tribunal settlements and put in Tesco and you will find quite a few come up everyone concerning unpaid money have had it withdrawn by the applicant this means that the company has settled out of court......As I say trust me I know someone who has followed this through and apparently won

NOBODY should accept bullying nor non payment of pay .....gather the evidence, apply to acas for a tribunal hearing non payment of pay.... the law protects you when it comes to pay. Normally you cannot go to a tribunal under 2 years service, however when it comes to pay shortages anyone with any length of service can take their employer to a tribunal......thats how serious being underpaid is taken by the government and tribunals.

Remember its free.....and do not be frightened off by their solicitors letters....trust me they will settle out of court if you can prove you were short changed in your pay or in this case not paid for breaks

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