ENFORCED MEALBREAK CHANGES

Dear member

Yorkshire Ambulance Trust unilaterally changed the recently agreed meal break policy last night; this change was imposed without any agreement with UNISON. When UNISON learned of these changes we informed the Trust it was completely unacceptable and was putting members and patients at risk due to the possibility of staff going 8.15hrs without a break plus end of shift overtime. UNISON insisted the Trust to stick to the current agreement (4^th-6^th hour) or revert back to the previous (two breaks on a 12hr shifts) agreement.

UNISON also believes that the changes break the European Working Time directive (EWTD) especially around starting a meal break on the 3rd hour, the EWTD states a break should be in the middle of the shift not at the beginning or end. UNISON will also be challenging the enforced changes legally.

UNISON INSISTS the TRUST immediately stops the changes before any untoward incidents occur.