Benefits March 21, 2008

Supervisor Accused of Using Urinal Bags to Cut Down Potty Breaks

March 21, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Colorado officials with The Communications Workers of America say a Qwest supervisor instructed workers to use portable urinal bags while in the field to cut down on lengthy bathroom breaks.
Reported by

According to the Associated Press, the union told the Rocky Mountain News that the manager distributed the bags to 25 male field technicians, telling them not to waste time leaving a job site to search for a public bathroom. Reed Roberts, an administrative director at the union told the newspaper he has complained to Qwest’s corporate labor relations department.

Qwest spokeswoman Jennifer Barton said “there’s no policy whatsoever” requiring field technicians to use the bags, according to the AP. She added that employees had asked for the bags to be made available and they are there for convenience to workers.

Qwest and other companies have for years offered the portable urinal bags to workers who could find themselves in the field far from a bathroom, the AP said.

Barton said the union has not filed a grievance.

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