my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Employee smoking (Page 1)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Author Topic: Employee smoking Brandon Willis Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Richmond, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 05-11-2004 01:02 PM                     Theater managers: What are some of your policies regarding employees smoking while at work? Do you only let them smoke on their meal break or do you let them have short smoke breaks on the clock? What do you all think of this?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-11-2004 01:22 PM                     If it is their meal break, they can do whatever they want. If they need a quick smoke break, tough. Now before you start in with the whole "why are you so mean about this" remarks, turn it around and ask yourself why is it that non-smokers are being punished by management for not getting all the extra breaks from work? It's plain and simple in this scenario, smokers are rewarded, non-smokers are punished.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-11-2004 01:24 PM                     I agree with Brad. On their break is fine, but on the clock, too bad. This is what I think, but unfortunately my boss allows them one quick break while on the clock.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 05-11-2004 02:32 PM                        Smoking should never be allowed in a film handling area. Ashes are a significant source of dirt particles, and airborne smoke contains tars that will contaminate the surface of lenses and port glass.  |  IP: Logged Tim Lockridge Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Indiana, USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 05-11-2004 02:40 PM                     I don't let my employees smoke on theater property at all. Since their uniforms are so noticable, I ask that they smoke elsewhere. And DEFINITELY not on the clock.  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 05-11-2004 03:20 PM                        When I worked for Cinema West I let my employees smoke on the clock as long as all their work was finished and they had somebody covering their position. I didn't like doing this, but it made sense, what's the difference if they go out and smoke for 5 minutes vs. standing around doing nothing? The only time I really said no was if it meant they would have to abandon their position to go outside and smoke.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 05-11-2004 04:05 PM                        Here, smoking is banned inside all public-access buildings except for casinos and bars. So taking a smoke break means leaving the building. Generally I notice that smokers take lots of breaks--they are not as productive as non-smokers. Of course being forced to take their breaks outside makes smokers more visible. Non-smokers can "hide" their unofficial breaks, but still I think smokers are not as productive as non-smokers. Too many years of observing workers at work in many different environments to shake my observations on this. I notice smoker vs. non-smoker differences at school too. My aviation classes meet for three hours once a week, so I schedule a 10-minute break at the half-way point each class. Inevitably it's the smoking students that are late getting back to class, or late to start class. Not a good habit to get into if one is looking for a career in air transportation, or show biz for that matter. If a hiring decision were up to me, I wouldn't hire anyone who smokes, period. Yeah that's a hard attitude, but I am used to being judged harshly. Consequently I judge harshly.  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-11-2004 09:01 PM                     We are a smoke free building, employees are not allowed to smoke on the property at all. I agree, about the non smokers being punished in most places. Ludicrous.  |  IP: Logged Dominique Replogle Film Handler Posts: 61 From: Highland Utah Registered: Apr 2004 posted 05-11-2004 09:49 PM                        I agree with most of what you guys say. Long ago I had a job waiting tables in a nice restaraunt and was one of only two non smokers. It got to the point every ten minutes some jackass would ask me to cover his or her tables so they could get a "quick smoke". I guess being a nonsmoker I did not know it takes thirty minutes to smoke a cigarette. It got where I was running my ass off so these people could come back just in time to scoop up thier tips. Now I guess I am just bitter. In my booth, do it on your own time and get far from me.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-11-2004 10:35 PM                     If they want to smoke, they can do it outside on their break. Even though I still smoke, I do not do it in the theater, or the radio station. This has helped me, too. I have reduced smoking to between 10 and 15 cigs a day as compared to over a pack a day. I owe this improvement to: (1) Someone who understands what I am faced with.. (2) That friend's support (3) Not smoking in the workplaces because of a personal committment. If I am going to smoke, I go outside. And I expect others to do the same.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 05-11-2004 10:36 PM                        Our smokers have to go out the back door. I don't let them congregate at the front of the building, on-break or not. I don't care what they do on their break, out of sight of my customers, with coats over their uniform shirts... as long as they don't return to work smelling like a cigarette, joint or alcohol factory. I also expect them to "air out" before returning to work, since I don't want people with my logo shirts stinking up my lobby. Sorry.... ex smoker here! (just kidding about the joint & the alcohol... I'd better not smell that stuff around here, and they're all pretty much aware of that!)  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 05-12-2004 02:17 AM                     If you do let your employees have smoke break one rule I've heard of and would seem to work well is to only let them go on smoke breaks alone, not in groups.  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-12-2004 03:30 AM                        ah, if only such rules were enforceable around here! actually, it wouldn't bother me if smokers would ply their vice where the smoke can't enter the building, and wouldn't litter their butts. fat chance. they almost always congregate right outside the entrance, and sometimes even leave the door open. i step out of the booth several flights up and know instantly when this is going on. i'm sure the customers love it when they have to pass through a smokescreen on their way out. carl  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-12-2004 10:38 AM                     Hate to be a dittohead, but I agree. Especially about the group thing. Both of the GM's smoke, so it's hard to make them realize the unfairness of the rule. They let 3, 4, sometimes 5 people out for a "smoke break" in the back of the building, and sometimes call ME down from upstairs, usually in the middle of something, to do something stupid like watch door when it's inbetween shows. And the Smoking Caravan usually sits out there and bullshits for a good 10-15 minutes. Last time I brought this up, the manager said, "Well, there's nothing to do upstairs now anyway. All the movies are started." *SIGH* If we're not allowed to have a meal on-the-clock, they shouldn't be allowed to smoke on the clock, either. I shouldn't be punished for choosing a healthy path in life... =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-12-2004 11:44 AM                     My daughter works in the national headquarters of a large moving company. The company did a study, by watching the security cameras, looking at the door logs (they must swipe a card to re-enter the building) and other info. They determined the average smoker "wastes" 40% of the shift by smoking & related time. Such as the time it took to walk outside, and then back to the desk. It was costing the company a bundle in lost productivty obviously. Wasn't long until smoking was banded entirely based on said study. I have a couple of son-in-laws that smoke, and I've commented to them how much friggin time they WASTE of their lives standing around doing nothing but sucking on that stick.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.