end of the smoke break looms ?

[legend758duo]

reading that next month many employers are planning to stop workers having smoke breaks.
apparently there is nothing that employees can do as its not illegal to restrict them from having smoke breaks.
hurrah i say for years the smokers got to skive off for a smoke whilst the nonsmokers continued to work .
he who laughs last eh??

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20070618/tuk -firms-plan-smoking-breaks-crackdown-6323e80.h tml

[pussnboots]

Never heard of smoke breaks. All the places that I have worked the smokers could only smoke in their official break times.

[Meg888]

Being a conscientious worker, I dont take official breaks, lunch or otherwise & work right through, though I do nip out for a quick ciggie 2-3 times per day in my 7.5 hr working day. My bosses have never begrudged me this, as I am hard working. So you could say I take roughly 15 mins break? My colleagues, however, who do not smoke but do take lunch - supposed to be half an hour - but no-one takes less than 45mins between stopping & eating & then popping out. They also spend roughly 1hr a day loitering around each others offices bitching etc. No I dont work with a bunch of teenagers, but happen to be the youngest in my place as the rest are 40+ and mostly men.

Smokers come in for a lot of stick, but it doesn't make us bad people - and certainly no less of a skiver than the average non smoker

[Sasha13]

I have to agree - I take smoking breaks (maybe 4 or 5 during the day) but I'm at my desk at least 20 mins early every day and never take my full hour for lunch - more like 40 mins, so I don't feel at all guilty.

[puddicat]

i work in a non office situation, we dont have a determined break, and you are so lucky to have a hour, i have 20minutes if i am lucky, depending on our service users needs, we had a problem for a while when groups of smokers went out for a whiff,big outcry, so boss decide that only one at a time could go outside, doesnt bother me to much as long as people are around when service users need them, dont want to think that i dont get my allocated union set meal breaks, have a very varied, and laid back job, and sit and chat and take out the guys most of the day, this job is so different to any other, there isnt a box you can put it in!

[cruella]

In all honesty, I have never heard of a company allowing "smoking breaks". If a person smokes, then they would do it it on their official break, be it tea break or lunch break.
The ban came into Scotland over a year ago so not really an issue here now. The place I work is like the previous aber. I do not have official breaks as such. On duty from the time I start work until it is time to finish, due to service users requirements. We eat when we can grab something if we are not busy but unable to go out for a lunch break or tea break as we are on duty. No problems with smokers either. They have all accepted the new laws.