Yesterday’s advice to staff included anomalies and incorrect information about meal breaks, so we wrote to Joe Acker today about these.

Employment policy does not override the terms and conditions that are expressly defined in employees’ industrial agreements and awards – that’s a simple fact.

Meal break management is becoming more and more of an issue, so please refer to our 20 August update about your meal break entitlements.

You don’t lose your break because of a paid entitlement – a break is crucial for proper rest and recline or to have a meal, but if you do work through your meal break and it’s not provided later, please submit an SRLS.

Your employer has a primary duty of care to look after you as specified in section 19 of the WHS Act and it’s just not ok to work continuously without proper breaks.

Ignoring their care responsibilities to you for the sake of ‘patient centred care’ is wrong – your welfare matters too, and nobody provides optimal care during a job, or when you have an MVA on the way, when you’re ‘hangry’ or exhausted.

If you’re tired and unable to respond or encounter white line haze or have a micro sleep etc contact your RDM and let them know so it can be effectively managed before your next job.

Be aware of the possible adrenaline crash and please look after yourself and your partner.