IBEW 1245
  • Main Menu
    ▼
    • Our Union
      ▼
      • Merchandise
      • New Members
      • Structure
      • Bylaws
      • History
      • Obituaries
      • Our Employers
      • Members at Work: Photo Slideshow
      • Find a Job
      • Update Your Contact Information
    • Unit Meetings & Events
      ▼
      • Events
      • Unit Meetings
    • Agreements
    • Education
      ▼
      • JATC Classes
      • Scholarships
      • Tuition Reimbursement
      • First Aid & CPR Training
    • Update Your Info & Pay Dues Online
    • Contact Us
  • Sections
    ▼
    • 1245 News
    • PG&E
    • Outside Construction
    • Nevada
    • Manufacturing
    • Public Sector
    • Vegetation Management
    • Safety
  • Quick Links
    ▼
    • COVID-19 News Center
    • Benefits
    • PG&E Contract Section Index
    • Latest News
    • Find Your Rep
    • Unit Meetings
    • Organize
    • Calendar
    • Library
    • Stewards
    • Retirees
    • Community

IBEW1245

The power is in our hands

PAY YOUR DUES ONLINE
NEWS-PGE

New Legislation on Meal Breaks

February 4, 2011

Assembly Bill 569 went into effect on January 1, 2011.  This statute creates a limited revision to the law requiring employers to provide workers with off-duty meal breaks.  This message is to alert you to PG&E’s apparent intention regarding this legislation, and to Local 1245’s readiness to respond, if necessary, to ensure that PG&E complies with its legal obligations.

Pre-2011 law regarding meal breaks:  California law requires that in most circumstances hourly employees must be provided a one-half hour unpaid off-duty meal break for any shift more than 5 hours long.  Generally, an employee who is not provided this off-duty meal period is entitled to an extra hour of pay for a missed meal period.  Because of this law, PG&E has been paying this extra hour of missed-meal-period pay to numerous shift and service employees who are not provided an off-duty meal period.

AB 569’s revision to this law:  AB 569 creates a limited exception to this law.  It says that certain types of employers – including public utilities like PG&E – no longer have to pay employees an extra hour of missed-meal-period pay if their employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement which “expressly provides for meal periods.”

AB 569’s applicability to PG&E employees: Local 1245’s collective bargaining agreement with PG&E requires certain shift and service employees to work their entire shift without an off-duty meal period, but does allow them to eat while they are on duty.  This does not appear to be the type of contract term which would exempt PG&E, under AB 569, from its obligation to pay such employees an extra hour of pay for a missed meal period.

PG&E’s intention regarding AB 569:  PG&E has not made its intentions perfectly clear on this issue, but it has issued an FAQ suggesting that, because of AB 569, it may stop paying the missed-meal-period payments that it has been paying.  This FAQ says PG&E will implement changes in meal period payments in April, 2011.

Local 1245’s position: Our attorneys have made a preliminary determination that in their opinion AB 569’s exemption from paying an extra hour of pay for a missed meal period does not apply to all PG&E employees, and may not apply to any.  When PG&E finalizes and implements its plan, Local 1245 will analyze PG&E’s actions and respond appropriately as the law provides, and will also advise members about their options regarding how they may respond, as individuals.

Stay tuned.

 

  • PG&E News
  • Physical Agreement & Wages
  • Clerical Agreement & Wages
  • Medical Benefits
  • PG&E Contract Section Index
  • PG&E Document Library
  • Letter Agreement Reference Document
  • Unit Meeting Schedule
  • Stewards’ Guide
  • Hiring Hall
  • History
  • Retiree Clubs
  • About IBEW & PG&E
  • Peer Volunteer Program
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2022 IBEW Local 1245 - Responsive WordPress Website by HyperArts