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Employee rights

KidPokerKidPoker Posts: 4,294
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I currently work in retail. For people working 8 hour shifts they give only 30 minute breaks.

They have also refused to allow any employee to join a Trade Union. I do not want to join, but know people who do. This is not right. What are our rights here?

Who can we contact about this?

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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,068
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    30 Minutes break is acceptable for an 8 hour shift, in fact, legally they could get away with giving you just 20 minutes.

    As for joining a union, are they saying that you can't JOIN a union? Or that they don't recognise a union?

    They can't stop you from joining a union.
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    towerstowers Posts: 12,183
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    KidPoker wrote: »
    I currently work in retail. For people working 8 hour shifts they give only 30 minute breaks.

    They have also refused to allow any employee to join a Trade Union. I do not want to join, but know people who do. This is not right. What are our rights here?

    Who can we contact about this?

    Legally, they're aren't breaking the law - you're entitled to 20 minutes break every 6 hours or something like that.

    Tesco staff get 60 minutes break in an 8 hour shift, however you don't get paid for your breaks, so it's swings and roundabouts. I'm happier with the generous breaks than the extra bit of pay.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,941
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    KidPoker wrote: »
    I currently work in retail. For people working 8 hour shifts they give only 30 minute breaks.

    They have also refused to allow any employee to join a Trade Union. I do not want to join, but know people who do. This is not right. What are our rights here?

    Who can we contact about this?

    Perfectly legal, the break entitlement in fact is only 20 minutes.

    As for the trade union thing, they cannot prevent anyone from joining, and I fail to see how they could actually enforce this?!! I think both you and your fellow employees should educate yourself about employee rights. Perhaps speak to ACAS?
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    walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,919
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    KidPoker wrote: »
    I currently work in retail. For people working 8 hour shifts they give only 30 minute breaks.

    They have also refused to allow any employee to join a Trade Union. I do not want to join, but know people who do. This is not right. What are our rights here?

    Who can we contact about this?

    They can't stop you joining a Union. Infact, how would they even know you were a member?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 48
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    The company I work for doesn't recognise any union or enter into discussion with a union over pay and conditions etc but any employee can join a union. I know some of my collegues belong to a union and have used them for advice and for representation during disiplinary process.
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    MishcollMishcoll Posts: 12,798
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    I'd be happy with that - for 8 hours we have to take an hour unpaid break somewhere in our shift, so were there 9 hours - I'd rather have 1/2 hour in the 8 hours and go home an hour earlier.
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    Iqbal_MIqbal_M Posts: 4,092
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    KidPoker wrote: »
    I currently work in retail. For people working 8 hour shifts they give only 30 minute breaks.

    They have also refused to allow any employee to join a Trade Union. I do not want to join, but know people who do. This is not right. What are our rights here?

    Who can we contact about this?

    They cannot stop you from joining a Trade Union, for one thing Article 11 of the ECHR states
    Freedom of assembly and association
    Article 11
    1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
    2. No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This Article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the State.
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