Break times at work changing

[Central]

I have been working for 5 years in the same company with the same contract as always.

From when I started we always had 1 hour break a day. We work 9 hours a day and get paid for 8. (So either 8:30-17:30, 09:00-18:00 or 11:30-20:30)

Its retail based job and we are on our feet for the whole 8 hours.

Today the area manager has said our breaks will change to 20 minutes a day as there is no need to have 4 hours worth of breaks. (4 members of staff in).

Our staff handbook states we get an hours break a day. Can he just change it?

Also there is about 10 stores in our region and if he did it to just us would it be discrimination as in he is penalizing us for the area we are in?

Would he have to write to us officially to do this and would HR have to agree?

Many thanks

Originally Posted by Central

I have been working for 5 years in the same company with the same contract as always.

From when I started we always had 1 hour break a day. We work 9 hours a day and get paid for 8. (So either 8:30-17:30, 09:00-18:00 or 11:30-20:30)

Its retail based job and we are on our feet for the whole 8 hours.

Today the area manager has said our breaks will change to 20 minutes a day as there is no need to have 4 hours worth of breaks. (4 members of staff in).

Our staff handbook states we get an hours break a day. Can he just change it?

Also there is about 10 stores in our region and if he did it to just us would it be discrimination as in he is penalizing us for the area we are in?

Would he have to write to us officially to do this and would HR have to agree?

Many thanks

The WTD is 20 mins break for every 6hrs of work so yes legally he can do it ,if your contract specifically refers to 1 hr break per shift then i would say he has to negotiate a contract change .It may be though that your contract only refers to the legal min break(20mins) worth carefully checking the wording of your contract