(10 Apr 2014, 6:42 pm)aureolin wrote I'm quite surprised that unpaid breaks exist, baring in mind the nature of the industry. I realise it's not a legal requirement in the UK, but is this industry standard nowadays?
What happens if a late running service causes you to run into your break. Does the driver still get the full break, or would that cause a potential knock on affect on the driver's next assignment on rota? Not to mention that it creates a two tier workforce.
Depends on the length of the break - if you're only 5 minutes late off for an hour, then that would be legal. But come off 5 minutes late for a 36 minutes break, then either part of your second half is covered to allow you to finish having your break or you take the service over late (legally the minimum break is 35 minutes after 4 hours 30minutes+).
Plus, there's now very few operators that offer paid meal breaks - as far as I know, no Stagecoach North East depot has paid meal break contracts (there's one shift at Stockton that does but only due to the driver's break being away from the depot and the break rooms in Stockton and Middlesbrough and is only once a week).