As an additional question, for those who are paid hourly, do you still get paid for your breaks? Even if I'm working a double, I'm required to clock out if I want to grab a quick bite to eat or run out for a quick smoke. It seems ridiculous as I definitely work harder and faster overall when I can get 3 minutes to myself every few hours to sit down, think about what I have to accomplish in the next few hours, and just generally rest for a quick minute. It seems all too many restaurant owners, at least the ones I've worked for, view their employees as disposable and easily replaceable regardless of how good they are at their job. The 10 minutes I'm out smoking on a 12+ hour day is 10 minutes of their money wasted and they feel they could find someone else who won't waste it.
Rat,
Even though I agree with a lot of what you're saying, a lot of my peers can deal with working 16 hour shifts with no break. If I stand up and say I need a break, the owner will simply find someone who won't. Does the owner really care if a cook burns out of the industry in five years? Of course not, he cares about squeezing the most productivity out of his already underpaid cooks. Philosophy is one thing, but I don't see any real way to change things.  |