Other staffs endless cigarette breaks. AIBU?

[ChrisTrepidation]

Quite a number of the small staff team where I work are smokers. In fact we probably have more smokers than none smokers. I don't smoke.

The smokers are in the habit of stepping out for a cigarette break on a very regular basis. I worked a shift with smoker staff yesterday and they were going outside for five minute breaks approximately every half hour!

I don't begrudge anybody taking a break but AIBU to be starting to get annoyed at all the extra off the floor time the smokers are gaining? If I took a break every half hour it would be considered very odd but the smokers just get away with it.

I'm considering raising the issue with my line manager. Would I be in the right to do so?

This used to annoy me so much when I was a student and working in hospitality.

I would be working nonstop, and smokers seemed to constantly have breaks where they would sit down and smoke.

YANBU. Not sure why work should fit around their dirty habits.

Not illegal if they’re only working 6 hour shifts.

You’re entitled to a 20 minute unpaid break only if working more than 6 hours.

I imagine it's a generational thing. Certainly I'd say it is still pretty widespread in 30 something's plus.
And younger people just vape, so the same issues would surely crop up?

It does sound a very dated notion, it would drive me up the wall and i can't see why anyone at all would consider it reasonable. If it was anything else, for example such regular personal phone calls or breaks for Internet shopping, it wouldn't be acceptable. I say this as a smoker who never smoked during working hours.

I’m trying to think of any other addictions that an employer would facilitate in this way. I can’t.

Right?! 'Sorry boss, I've got to go and have my hourly pint/hit of smack, be back in ten'. It's bizarre.

And why can’t people use nicotine gum during their working day, which wouldn’t necessitate taking a break at all.

My DH has the same at his workplace. Most of them smoke ( he doesn’t) and go out every half hour. He is so pissed off, especially when he got back from his lunch break a minute late ( they have cameras at doors) he was deducted half hour of his wages and these colleagues stay outside smoking literally nonstop but that is ok apparently..

Where I worked this was most certainly not allowed. They had to smoke when everybody has their morning tea break and at lunchbreak. We used to have a quick afternoon tea break but it was done away with. Not sure how they managed between lunch and hometime but they had no choice. Management wasn't going to pay them to stand outside.

So basically they're getting over an hour off every day? That's equivalent to around 3 days off a month, and around an extra month off a year, give or take. So yeah, that is very much not fair on you, OP.

Seriously, why does anyone care about this?

Sour grapes. It's always been a thing. When I worked in an office the non smokers always used to complain about the smokers. It didn't impact on them at all. We all had our own projects to do. They all had to be done within a certain time scale. We all had the same workload. How we managed that was up to us, as long as it go done efficiently and in time. Which it did. Yet the non smokers still complained.

Don't approach this from the 'it's not fair they get extra breaks' angle. You will sound petty.
How is it negatively impacting the business? Are things not getting done because of all the extra breaks? Can you not do your job properly because of it? Do they smell of cigarettes which may be off putting to customers? Are there customers left waiting as there are not enough people on the shop floor?

If the boss is in the clique, then don't raise it at all, just look for another job.

Because they have to take up the slack, not all of us work in offices where work can just be left until later.

I used to work in a secure environment, minimum 3 staff. The other 2 staff would often be off the ward smoking while I was left alone.

I couldn't just stop working as there were numerous things to take care of.

There was no point in complaining, management were part of the smoking group. Many smokers are so self centered when it comes to their self induced addiction.

It wasn't just 5 minutes once an hour either, there was one guy who took 15 minutes and would try to time it so 10 minutes after he returned, the manager went out then he would join him for a smoke.

A significant number of smokers are selfish and thick as fuck, I suppose you have to be the latter to take up smoking nowadays.

Let the whataboutery commence.

As a smoker even I think they taking the piss.

Just take a tea/coffee break when they go out. Ideally leave when they are getting ready to go out so it is not you who is leaving the shop floor unmanned, ie not the last one to leave.

Reporting will sound petty (even if you have a point), might not achieve anything and will potentially bring tensions as they will know you brought it up.

A five minute walk? Where did he work, Reynholm Industries? 😂

Actually, I’m not sure it would be the amount of time they spent outside that would annoy me, more likely the disgusting smell when they all came back in.

Ask you manager if you can roll all your "smoke breaks" into one and finished on a half day on Friday.
In an 8 hour shift 5mins every 1/2hr would equate to 40mins a shift so that would be 3hr and 20 min in a 40hr week.
It's a reasonable ask.

I'd ask If I can leave an hour early as I've not taken 4x15 minutes breaks during the day.

There is seriously nothing stopping you from stepping out and having a break too.

I personally wouldn't bring it up with anyone unless it is impacting your work seriously.

That is completely different though.

Smoking (unfortunately) is excepted and not illegal the whole world over. Whereas smack, drugs etc obviously is illegal so clearly no company would allow someone to take drugs etc.

I personally hate smoking but, it isnt illegal and i wouldnt be getting my knickers in a twist because colleagues are going out to have a smoke. Just go out yourself and have that break too.

If your managers a smoker then you’re going to have to deal with it

From everything you have said theres a very strong chance that we work together.

This.