Don't want to offend anyone. I know some of you smoke. I'd rather have a smoker who's a good worker than a flake who doesn't smoke. I think that if you have enough pride in your work to become a member here, then you're very likely to be a good worker.
Also, we're all entitled to a 10 minute break for every 4 hours on the job. It's the law, not just a union rule.
So there really is no problem, is there? Maybe.
I think some smokers can't take out the trash without stopping to light up. It takes a smoker 6 minutes to take out the trash and I can do it in 30 seconds. They can't bail cardboard without sneaking outside real quick.
Sometimes it's crazy at work and it's not really good to take a break. I mean, I have no desire or need for a break. I ate before work, I'm not tired, I don't have a personal call to make, so why stop? It's really busy and I don't want to fall further behind. You'll never find a smoker who can step up and work 8 hours without stopping. No matter how busy it is, no matter how far behind you are, not matter what, No matter who's sick or who died, they are gonna have to take that cigarette break. It's crazy busy, the counter is low, the non smokers are working non stop and the smokers still need to go outside and take that break.
Just want to add that even though I don't smoke, I'm not without my own problems.
Assuming everything else is equal: work ethic, work quality, personality, etc., would you prefer all non smokers?
Yeah this is the same here they all seem to be outside at the same time. I no longer allow smoke breaks,if they want a ciggy they have to wait until lunch break and home time.
I don't care if they smoke or not as long as they get the job done, I know where you coming from on the smokers, I smoke, been there, done that but I would rather put up with a bad smoker than a cell phone freak that goes to the bath room 10 times a day so he can text or go off in the cooler to get something and he is in there texting. I liked stores where you had to leave your phone in the office till break or lunch
We have that problem too. The cell phones. I have one of course, but it's turned off and in my locker. I never carry it at work. However, I don't think you can stop anyone from carrying it in their pocket. Just don't let people hear it ring and don't take it out of your pocket and look at it. Don't read a text, don't send a text, don't let it ring, don't answer it.
I got a bit to say about this one. First whats this 10 minute break every 4 hours? really? I thought it was 15 minutes every 2 hours. when did that change? I am a smoker . I am not proud of it and i do want to quit but thats another story. for me work comes first. I like to take my 15 minute break at 10 a.m. (i start at 8 a.m.) but I have a rule for myself that every hole in the case has to be filled before i stop. So if i have a wiped out case I keep going til its full again doesn't matter if its noon. I just would feel really guilty if i stopped for even a minute when there is so much to do basically i want the case looking good before the customers start coming in. My cigarette breaks last 2 to 3 minutes even though I am entitled to 15 I usually usually just finish my cigarette and go back to work because I get bored sitting around. Which is why i was saying in another topic months ago about how i hate it when companies make break taking mandatory. your comment about how you will never find a smoker who can go 8 hours with out stopping in my case is just not true. Maybe the habit isn't as strong on me as it is on others but I go 8 9 or 10 hours sometimes NON stop. That doesn't happen much but it does happen on those especially busy days. I rarely stop and buy something to eat unless its a really slow day and i can take my time. If i am hungry i ll just be hungry til i get home I guess the same goes for the smoking if I am craving a cigarette i guess i ll just keep craving it til i am either done or have the opportunity to smoke one when it slows down a little. Your comment about the trash is true on my part. I do light up as i walk out to the dumpster and I do stand out side the door for a minute to take a couple more drags but no way is it ever 6 minutes...maybe 3 at the must for me. Which brings up another point i wouldn't be taking out the trash in the first place if it didn't slow down enough for me to get out and do that other wise iw ould just leave it for my clean up crew. so if I got a minute to take out the trash i ll have a minute or two for a couple drags. I never put my bad habit before my work though anymore than i ll put my hunger before work. but thats just me. don't worry it doesn't offend me at all i think this is a good subject.
Non how to do I feel about working with other smokers. Well if the person can be like me and put off the smoking until a more convient time I would be happy but I had to admit that is rarely the case. I often have to go and get the deli girl because she is smoking and there are people lining up at the deli counter. Its kind of frustrating when they have to get pissed off but they usually put it out and get back there to take care of those customers. Those people who go "I'm on my break i still got 5 minutes left" make me sick. Those are not devoted employees or team players.
-- Edited by fdarn on Tuesday 6th of December 2011 05:26:15 PM
well I think it doesn't matter at all if a person smokes...you have people who talk to much,people who milk the duties out and people who are late and people who come in and need coffee and time to wake up-come on man, smoking doesnt matter a person gets there breaks and if they take too many then thats against policy and should be delt with. It is all the other stuff where there is no clear policy thats the real problems.
As a tobacco user myself I understand the need for a nicotine fix. At my meat cutting job before my current one we had a tremendous problem with people going out every hour for a smoke. Me personally, used my half an hour lunch to chew. Then again though I do remember one day I was trying to quit, and got into it with another cutter. I see both ends of the spectrum, but I'd much rather deal with a happy crew than a bunch of people having nic fits all day. When it becomes excessive though it is a problem that needs to be addressed.
I have been a smoker, I have quit smoking, started again quit again then started up again, LOL who cares I like it! Fdarn I am with you as long as you get done with what you need to get done can you have a break, for me I like that break at 2 hrs also, but who can really enjoy a break thinking my case is not where it should be? I have those employees that dont smoke also, so it really is not a matter of smoking other than being a good worker, if your wrapper does not smoke but still wants a break a 2 hrs. they better work hard and fast also, your always going to have employees who "milk" time. Get rid of them. Just let me SMOKE on the block again and we will really get things done! Oh those were the days ;)
................. Just let me SMOKE on the block again and we will really get things done! Oh those were the days ;)
I remember that! I think I even posted about it in the old MSN board. You should have seen the wooden tables (or blocks) if you want to call em that. Cigarette burns all around the edges where cigs had been sitting while they worked and smoked at the same time.
i remember that t0o and i am not even that old. when i started out our wrapper would be smoking right over the wrapping station. the meat manager would light up his pipe when we cleaned up but not while cutting..he let me smoke int he room though. the floor was the ash tray...god when i look back at that i can't believe how disgusting we could be...now I couldn't even dream of doing that. I wouldn't want to .. its just wrong thats the feeling we got now ain't it?
-- Edited by fdarn on Wednesday 7th of December 2011 12:04:39 AM
I got a bit to say about this one. First whats this 10 minute break every 4 hours? really? I thought it was 15 minutes every 2 hours. when did that change? I am a smoker . I am not proud of it and i do want to quit but thats another story. for me work comes first. I like to take my 15 minute break at 10 a.m. (i start at 8 a.m.) but I have a rule for myself that every hole in the case has to be filled before i stop. So if i have a wiped out case I keep going til its full again doesn't matter if its noon.
Not sure if you're joking about the 15 minute break or not. Every two hours??? Serious? I'm sure some union contracts or company policies get you a break longer than 10. But it's my understanding that there is a U.S. law saying you get 10 minutes every 4 hours. That would be a minimum. If some people can get more, then good for them.
About not stopping until the holes are filed: That's very good. I admire that in a person. But what I'm getting at in posting this question is, doesn't it piss you off when you're in that situation and working with another individual and there's holes, but guess what? it's been two hours and he/she doesn't give a hoot about the holes. It's time for a cigarette. How does that make you feel? Sort of like they spat in your face, right?
I don't take many breaks. Maybe one or two per week. I more than pay that back in coming in early. I have food handy, a candy bar or something and eat it while working.
Of course, I have problems like everyone else. Just because I don't smoke, doesn't mean I'm not an a$$hole sometimes. Sometimes you can catch me doing more talking than cutting.
No i wasn't joking..every store i ever worked at we were allowed 15 minutes every two hours and 30 minutes for lunch. i am not at a union shop right now so it must just be the company policy. I guess all the companies i worked for decided to do better than what the federal law mandates. but like i said yeah i do get pissed off when someone walks away right on the dot for their break and just drops everything like "ooops break time i gotta go" i mean come on. but to me thats not a matter of whether they are a smoker or whatever they like to do on their breaks its a matter of whether or not they are devoted tot he company and a team player. Basically to me thats someone who is just self centered and doesnt have the slightest care if the company is a success or not as long as he gets paid on friday. Yep i dislike that type.
i remember that t0o and i am not even that old. when i started out our wrapper would be smoking right over the wrapping station. the meat manager would light up his pipe when we cleaned up but not while cutting..he let me smoke int he room though. the floor was the ash tray...god when i look back at that i can't believe how disgusting we could be...now I couldn't even dream of doing that. I wouldn't want to .. its just wrong thats the feeling we got now ain't it?
-- Edited by fdarn on Wednesday 7th of December 2011 12:04:39 AM
There were a few people I worked with that would chew tobacco while cutting. One spit in a liver cup, two others spit in the bone barrel. The same barrel that we drained meat in before cutting it.
I can think of another thread or two to post here about substance abuse in the meat dept, but I wont do it right now.
................. Just let me SMOKE on the block again and we will really get things done! Oh those were the days ;)
I remember that! I think I even posted about it in the old MSN board. You should have seen the wooden tables (or blocks) if you want to call em that. Cigarette burns all around the edges where cigs had been sitting while they worked and smoked at the same time.
Yeah the good old days every wooden block had the ciggy burns,which had to be scraped off every night.
I could care less if someone smokes on their own time, like when off the clock on a break or lunch, or before and after their shift. If i were to catch ANY of my crew smoking while on the clock when taking out the trash they are going to get written up. Do it twice and thats a three day susspension. Do it a third time and I'm looking for a new meat employee.
I caught a cutter that worked for me a couple years ago talking on his cell phone in the cooler while on the clock. I told him to take the rest of the day off so he could talk all he wanted on his own time. He said "I still have six hours left on my shift"! After he said that i told him that was a lot of money lost for a stupid phone call. He quit a few weeks later.
cell phones are a big problem, i've seen cutters cut off the saw to answer a text. saw one cutting meat and had his phone over behind some meat and would text when he thought no one was looking
I'm currently working with our administration to have a detailed policy concerning cell phones. I need my cell phone through out the day to deal with purveryor/distributor/maintenance/etc issues. If I miss a call from a distributor that has a good deal and I don't get back with them quickly, I could miss an opportunity. I always make sure I'm off the floor and not in front of customers. But my staff certainly don't need their phones through out their work day. That's what breaks are for, check your phone then. Sundays are the worst. Damned fantasy football. I have to get on them constantly for checking their phones because they're getting score updates. I always tell them "Does fantasy football give you a nice paycheck?". But it happens all over the store in all other depts as well. It drives me nuts.
I caught a cutter that worked for me a couple years ago talking on his cell phone in the cooler while on the clock. I told him to take the rest of the day off so he could talk all he wanted on his own time.
I like that. I wish that would happen where I work.
