Well put Janet, this is something I suggested way back in the thread in '05.
I support every smokers right to smoke, but I also support every employers right to say, «not on my time you don't».
The difficulty is do you allow smokers regular breaks, as the result of denial can lead to loss of productivity? If so, must this be agreed by all staff? Unless you have something specific to do in your mid morning/afternoon break; for example - smoke a cigarette, then I would suggest most people would rather have a full hour for lunch.
Smaller companies may be able to better adminstrate individual arrangements where some people get a full hour for lunch others have less but take a couple of smoke breaks either side of lunch. It's perfectly reasonable, but larger employers would have to dedicate significant resource in allowing individual breaks for large numbers of staff so obviously would implement fixed policies.
Each company has the right to determine it's own break policy and if that company says one hour at lunch and no other breaks then sorry smokers, you'll just have to sit it out.
I'm not saying one is right and the other wrong merely pointing out that as things stand it's not a one fix for all . There is never going to be a right or wrong answer only suggestions and while one suggestion may work for one set of staff in one firm it may not for others working somewhere else.
Dare I say...should we make tobacco illegal?
I await the screams of panic, horror and the outraged cries of 'human rights' etc etc!
Nigel, are you implying that smokers are 'academically challenged' or 'functionally illiterate'? I thought Einstein smoked a pipe?
If smokers contribute more in tax than they cost the NHS, i'm happy to accept that; and if the tax on fags raises nearly 6 times the cost of treating smoking related illnesses then maybe we should make smoking compulsory? That way we'd have recovered the economy before the year is out and the answer to smoking breaks would be resolved !!
I am of course being antagonistic, but I think this thread should be wound up now.
That's wound up as in finished, closed off; not wound up as in 'inflamed'.
Он говорит, вроде как нехрен на работе курить (КПД снижается и т.п.) - с утра покурил, в обед покурил, а после работы дома хоть отравись - ему похер, главное чтобы с утра был как огурец. Дело в общем глаголет.
А сам сволочь целый рабочий день трубку сосёт. Вот :)