My job is uninonized and before yesterday?

Question

we able to break where ever we wanted-as long as we checked in. Yesterday our boss told us that we were all required to break in the same place. The place that we can break is in the bowels of the building and is unbearably hot with no air circulation. My Union contract does not say anything about having to break in one particular place. Also is there any laws against making employees break in a place that is potentially hazardous to their health?

Serious answers only-please. Thank you in advance.

I checked OSHA's website but couldn't find anything in particular about hazardous break areas.

Also, yes I am on the clock. As I understand it they tried this one other time and the union grieved it and won. Also as I understand it this is a requirement for only second shift( but is not a requirment of crews( second shift) at other buildings. First shift break is unpaid. But third shift is not required to do this.

Seems like this is selective enforcement of policies and procedures.

My Union President filed a greivance and we no longer have to take our break in the same place

Answer 1

Of course it's not legal to force employees to break in someplace that is hazardous (at least, not in any Western country I know of). You should complain if it's too hot (although some older employees might like the hot and complain it's too cold otherwise, it shouldn't be any hotter than your work rooms.)

The break may need to be out of a working room, to ensure you're not working, to count as a break. Your boss could have misinterpreted this. Anyway, they could have seen the break room as a way of ensuring that you weren't working on your break.

Answer 2

I had this problem with my last employer, and as I understand it, as long as you are off the clock, they can't legally require you to keep to any particular place. They can recommend you stay if they think there will be issues with leaving the grounds and not making it back to work in time. However, if you are taking a break on the clock, you are on their time and they can dictate where you spend it. I was working in Ohio, so I don't know if state laws change that rule. Hope that helps.