Starting Over!

[gee4]

The danger is, others will feel discriminated against and start to jump on the bandwagon to demand their rights.  You are going to end up with mother and toddler mornings at work! 

The workplace is just that, a place of work, and should remain so.  My company is a manufacturing site, engineering.  We have labs, a factory, machine shop, production area.  I've posted so many times about one building not being able to eat at their desk so there is no way a company like mine would be in a position to provide breast-feeding facilities in the middle of such an environment when he have to adhere to other rules set in stone by our customer.

The reason women in the UK take longer periods of maternity leave is, that by the time their child is a certain age, they can return to work and the child no longer needs breast fed.  If a mother choses to return to work that is her choice.  If she wants to express milk, she should do it at home.

As regards breaks, some people do not have time to be away from their desk for a proper tea-break.  Currently I hardly have time for lunch.  Previously I had to take breaks in the canteen because I was in a building where I couldn't eat or drink at my desk, so these breaks were scheduled.  Now I'm so busy, it's just not possible to down tools and say, sorry I can't do x y or z as it's now my tea-break.  Are we moving towards a situation where women will soon be able to say, sorry I have to express some milk, your meeting will have to wait.

[Cathy S]

I was asked by PM why I had used an analogy unrelated to the workplace - ie care for the elderly and I am answering on here to clear that point up for all the contributors to this thread

I used this deliberately because it illustrates how risk assessment addresses individual needs, without favouritism, considering directly comparable groups of people.   

Trying to draw comparisons between:

• discretionary allowance of smoking breaks (because no one has a right to a smoking break at work); and
• risk assessed agreements for health reasons on breastfeeding mothers (it is not a right to have the break it is a right to be assessed for the risk to her health)

could lead to confusion and misunderstandings.

The other reason for the choice was that not all of us are/have been/will be smokers and not all of us are/have been/will be breastfeeding mothers ... the majority of us will at some point in our lives have to address old age and infirmity - whether in ourself or people we are close to; so I was aiming to be inclusive of everyone reading the thread ...

Cathy

[gee4]

I see no relevance as regards the elderly.  We are talking about favouritisim to a select group of individuals in the workplace.

Just because I chose a different lifestyle, doesn't mean I shouldn't get perks.

[Jackie G]

Whoa everyone!

Laura started this thread as she is looking to maybe start over and do something else in her life.

Somehow we have developed into breastfeeding/smoking etc discussions.  Please start new threads if you're going to do this otherwise people searching for particular topics in future will struggle to find relevant stuff.

thanks - and happy Easter to all.

[susan silva]

I agree with Jackie and if anyone does create a new thread, use topical climates.