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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Missed 3 hours of lunch break

366 replies

ThereIsNoLeftFalangie · 21/11/2019 05:48

AIBU to feel quite pissed off that I've missed out on 3 hours of my lunch break.
Work in a school, have been on quite a few trips for the last term. On trips the children get 30 mins lunch with staff eating alongside and supervising. Normally at school staff will get an hour lunch which is not paid. I don't mind missing out 30mins on the odd trip but it's taking the micky when im owed 2 hours. We're all expected to do things out of goodwill but thoses favours are never reciprocated by management. If they had to pay me for all the times I've worked passed my finish time they'd be in for a shock. Should I mention the 3 hours im owed?

OP posts:
velocitygirl7 · 22/11/2019 18:58

@CareOfPunts nothing remotely competitive about my post. Unfortunately if you're in a profession that involves caring for others, then it's fairly standard missing lunch breaks.
I've worked under both labour and tory governments and unfortunately the cuts in education, that the right wing like to force upon us, leave schools massively overstretched and reliant on the goodwill of staff to fill the many gaps.
Don't vote for Boris!!!!

Motherofatruck · 22/11/2019 19:02

I feel like some of the comments have been a bit harsh. I work as a TA and MSA and I start 25mins early and finish 20-30mins late every single day, unpaid. I get a 20 min lunch break which is often spent having impromptu meetings for MSA staff. I've recently been granted an hour off to attend a very necessary meeting at my child's school, to be told that my wages will be docked and been given a stern word that 'future appointments must be made outside of school hours'. I have to admit, it's left me feeling pretty hacked off. I've never had any other time off before...
Support staff in schools, are not always appreciated. A lot of the extra time we give goes unnoticed and then we are penalised if we need any sort of leniancy from the school. Unless OP is being paid the extra time she's spent working on the school trip, I'd say she's well within her rights to put in a request for payment for that time. Unless, of course, she works for an amazing school which let's her attend appointments without docking pay... In which case, I want to know where she works Grin

Vynalbob · 22/11/2019 19:03

YANBU
A teacher would not post this.. so I am confident you're a TA. TAs in most areas have had their pay cut and many are contracted on a yearly or in some cases term to term basis. Mention it unless management are completely unreasonable they'll understand.

plightofthealbatross · 22/11/2019 19:11

This is from a follow up post I think many have missed:

My start time in 8.30 and I finish at 3.30, with an hour lunch break unpaid. We did used to have 30mins and start later in the morning but the school wanted us to start at8:30 but did not want to pay us the extra 30mins so gave us an hour lunch.we are told to clock in with our fobs at 8.15 anything after that is late. When parents turn up late to collect children, it's us that ends up taking them to the office to make calls, add an extra 15mins there. We cover lessons for 45mins when teachers are off, we participate in planning. We are even told to 'guide' NQTs. Yet none of this is reflected in our pay. We have to meet targets for our performance management yet when we do there is still no increase on the pay scale as its been frozen for support staff. There is very little give just a whole lot of take

And more ... and you see it in a lot of schools these days, TAs being taken advantage of with the threat of no jobs in future hanging over their heads. Or not being a 'team player' when the salaried portion of the team have secure positions.

CareOfPunts · 22/11/2019 19:12

Sounds like you’re getting taken advantage of same as school and other healthcare staff @velocitygirl7. The NHS and education systems would fall apart if everyone decided to work to rule

Butterbeeeen · 22/11/2019 19:14

I work in school (not a teacher or TA) sometimes I get a lunch break sometimes I don’t. Yes it’s frustrating but the children come first.

nannygoat50 · 22/11/2019 19:18

Think you are in the wrong job if you are that petty about half hr here and there. I work with children and it’s a very unpredictable career

Walkaround · 22/11/2019 19:38

It's no surprise women are so over-represented in low paid jobs, given all these masochistic responses. It's also no surprise the country is so unproductive - lots of tired, unhealthy people working long hours unproductively.

Bowerbird5 · 22/11/2019 19:39

Lunch breaks on school trips have never been upheld. If it is just the three hours on school trips I'm sorry but you just have to suck that up. The only time i have had extra time given was when we were delayed on the motorway once. I love taking the kids on trips and just think that is part of it. We get to enjoy the place too. I have been to some amazing trips and having lunch on a school trip gives you relaxed time with the kids unless it is a tight timetable. I'm lucky to get to the toilet.

As for the follow up post if your wages haven't increased at all you need to take this up with your union.
I'm HLTA and 45 mins lesson cover would be a treat. I did scheduled 1 1/2 days cover last year and often arrived at work to find i was covering sickness either because they couldn't get cover, couldn't afford it or because if it was a difficult class they were usually better behaved with one of our staff. It got that way that we were teaching full weeks sometimes.
I am afraid that most TAs have to put up with extra time unpaid and if you don't like it you can get out as there are lots willing to take your place. I am not saying it is right but that is the nature of the work just as nurses and police can't just walk off the job. It has been like this for quite a long time. Are you new to the job OP?

BennyTheBall · 22/11/2019 19:40

Blimey. I went out for lunch today, but I can’t remember the last time before this that I took a lunch break.

TSSDNCOP · 22/11/2019 19:51

HR in a school here. If you are working extra time, you should request an overtime form. Frankly, I’d like a lunch break at all. That’s when I deal with staff issues, but by all means claim as you are entitled.

velocitygirl7 · 22/11/2019 19:53

@CareOfPunts I totally understand your point of view and you're absolutely right but I'm guessing you don't work in education?
As an example, today if I had 'worked to rule' a 4 year old boy who had vomited and was still very upset, would have sat on his own in reception waiting for someone to collect him. I just couldn't leave him Sad

Village48 · 22/11/2019 20:02

It goes with the job if you work in a school as does extra time. Today I had my lunch at 2.45 due to covering for people off sick. Working time directive states 20 mins in 6 hours

Andsoitisjust99 · 22/11/2019 20:03

I’m fortunate to have only worked in two schools in my career and in both we paid the TAs for their breaks (which is vanishingly rare).
In my experience of colleagues and friends, TAs are not typically paid nor do they get breaks on school trips. It would be met with complete shock and disgust if a TA complained. I don’t think this is right, however the TA will likely to managed out if she complains.
Teachers don’t get lunch breaks because they are supervising children (upset child, SEN child has a meltdown etc), they have to prep the classroom for ofsted good or outstanding lessons, they need to mark books (impossible assessment policies) or complete planning or do displays because their is no TA (all those things they aren’t supposed to do are laughable now) or write IEPs or ring a parent... the list in endless. As any parent of children will be able to imagine, going to bed late (due to workload), getting up early and having no breaks doesn’t make for the most patient and imaginative teaching. Teachers and TAs are humans.

Andsoitisjust99 · 22/11/2019 20:04

*there

Original poster
ThereIsNoLeftFalangie · 22/11/2019 20:11

Thank you for taking the time to comment, so many words of encouragement 👍

thecatfromjapan And CuriousaboutSamphire
Some really inspiring words, you really have got me thinking.

I don't want to be a sheep, I need to be the dog.

❤this...
'Hope lies in inspiring rebellion in the breadth of women.'

OP posts:
EveWasShamed · 22/11/2019 20:12

Skipped to the last page after reading the first few responses... glad to see some sanity has prevailed! To echo other posters, it’s not a race to the bottom. Unsure why some are so eager to work for no pay and I’m sure little thanks.

comfysocks8516 · 22/11/2019 20:12

Don’t remember the last time I took an hour for lunch. Does any teacher? Otherwise when would you get stuff done?

Scotland32 · 22/11/2019 20:36

Attitudes like this make me sad and a bit angry. If you want to get ahead in life, sometimes you have to put in a little extra effort (studying, extra hours, doing someone a favour etc). It’s the people who do the bare minimum or complain about a little extra effort that other people resent - and who often don’t thrive in their careers.
Please don’t be that person.

adaline · 22/11/2019 20:40

Think you are in the wrong job if you are that petty about half hr here and there. I work with children and it’s a very unpredictable career

Why is wanting to be paid for the hours you work being petty?

OP is a TA and working unpaid hours will take her under minimum wage, which is illegal and employers can face fines if caught.

adaline · 22/11/2019 20:41

Attitudes like this make me sad and a bit angry. If you want to get ahead in life, sometimes you have to put in a little extra effort (studying, extra hours, doing someone a favour etc). It’s the people who do the bare minimum or complain about a little extra effort that other people resent - and who often don’t thrive in their careers. Please don’t be that person.

Attitudes like YOURS make me sad and angry. You expect people on minimum wage to work for even less than minimum wage - why?

artyone · 22/11/2019 20:46

I work in a school too and we can claim extra hours worked back. I don't as it's just 10 mins here and there. For the school trip I probably worked an hour extra but I enjoyed the day out to be honest

Scotland32 · 22/11/2019 20:48

I don’t EXPECT them to. But that’s why some people don’t thrive in their jobs. If you want to progress or get promoted you need to be noticed for good reasons, not bad.
I pay all my team well over minimum wage but the ones who get promoted/pay rises are the ones who make sure they stand out for positive reasons - and ultimately they earn more and so benefit. If they complained about 2 extra hours, that would be their right....but they would have less chance of promotion because they wouldn’t be seen as the rising stars.
Surely a bit of ambition and long-term thinking is a good thing??
I think so. You may not.

busyhonestchildcarer · 22/11/2019 21:21

Maybe you are in the wrong job? The only jobs that are like you describe are those where you clock in and out .So...change of career?

Serin · 22/11/2019 21:41

Cant remember the last time I had a lunchbreak. I usually eat in my car driving between patients.
I also start half an hour early each day and usually finish about 40 mins late.