Meat Industry Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman

FWC · MA000059 · Clause 15

15. Breaks

[Varied by PR743432]

15.1 Unpaid meal breaks

(a) No employee will work for longer than 5 hours without a minimum 30 minute unpaid meal break. Any alternative arrangements between the employer and the employee must be by mutual agreement between the parties.

[15.1(b) varied by PR743432 ppc 11Jul22]

(b) An employee called upon to work during meal break will be paid at overtime rates for that period.

15.2 Paid rest breaks—meat processing establishments only

(a) Subject to the other parts of clause 15.2, employees whose duties are integral to the operation of a mechanised chain, conveyor, or other similar constantly moving system of production, or a non-mechanised rail system of conveyance, will be entitled to a rest break of 10 minutes during their ordinary hours of work, to be taken in the first half of the day or shift, at a time to be decided by the employer.

(b) Employees whose duties are integral to the operation in clause 15.2(a) means employees of the following classifications who are engaged to work on or in close connection with the relevant system of production or conveyance, namely:

(i) Slaughtering operations—slaughterers, knife-hands, gut-room labourers, tripe room labourers; and

(ii) Boning operations—boners, slicers, packers (including cryovac operators and scalers, where employed as part of a packing team), pre-trimmers and employees engaged to push carcases or sides to or from slaughterers or boners on rail systems.

(c) A rest break taken in accordance with clause 15.2(a) will count as ordinary time worked.

(d) Clause 15.2 will not apply to a meat processing establishment unless it employs a total of more than 15 employees referred to in clauses 15.2(a) and 15.2(b).

(e) The employer and the majority of employees in any establishment or section of an establishment may, in relation to the rest break provided in clause 15.2(a) agree to:

(i) extend or reduce the length of the rest break;

(ii) split the break into different periods, or add further rest breaks;

(iii) forego the taking of a rest break;

(iv) forego payment for all or part of any rest break provided in clause 15.2; or

(v) an alternative arrangement.

(f) An employee is not entitled to a rest break under clause 15.2(a) unless the employee is rostered to work at least a total of 4 hours on that day or shift.

15.3 Interruption of work

If an interruption of work for any cause occurs within 20 minutes of the commencement of a rest break or within 20 minutes of a normal meal break, the employer may direct that the rest break or meal break be taken. Provided that where there is a breakdown of machinery within one hour of the time of the normal meal break, the employer may require employees to have their meal break at an earlier time.

15.4 Shiftworkers

An employer must provide a shiftworker, except a shiftworker engaged on a three-shift system, with either:

(a) an unpaid meal break in accordance with clause 15.1(a); or

(b) crib time of 30 minutes after working 5 hours, which will be counted as time worked and to be taken at a time agreed between the employer and a majority of employees directly concerned.

Part 4—Wages and Allowances

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Official document

Meat Industry Award 2020 — FWC Award text hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman ↗

Version

This Fair Work Commission consolidated modern award incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 July 2026 (PR799280, PR799339 and PR799495). ↗

Citation verified

26 Oct 2026

Operative note

This entry explains the current consolidated text. A consolidation or capture date does not establish when a term commenced; earlier accrued rights are preserved by clause 1.3.