By taking your contractual meal periods and breaks, you are enforcing your rights under the union contract and also getting the chance to step away from your work and have free time to yourself.
Listed below is contract language from your Union West Coast Agreement.
ARTICLE XXII - LUNCH PERIODS & BREAKS section (a) Meal Period states,
"Employees working at least five (5) but no more than six (6) hours in a day, by mutual agreement between the employee and Employer, need not be granted a meal period
"Each employee shall be allowed one (1) uninterrupted period for a meal, without pay, approximately in the middle of an eight (8) hour working day. Hours of work shall be consecutive, with the exception of the meal period.
"No eight (8) hour employee shall be scheduled for more than five (5) hours, or less than three (3) hours, before a meal period. The intent of this Article is to assure that the first meal period for employees will be completed no later than the fifth (5th) hour of work.
"Employees working more than ten (10) hours, but less than twelve (12) hours will receive an additional meal period, unless individually waived by the employee by completing a second meal period waiver form in advance. Hours of work shall be consecutive, with the exception of the meal period."
Forty-five (45) minute and one (1) hour lunch periods may also be scheduled on a consistent basis only for the individual concerned.
ARTICLE XXII - LUNCH PERIODS & BREAKS section (b) Breaks states,
"An employee scheduled to work and who works six (6) or more hours in a day shall receive one (1) fifteen (15) minute rest period in the middle of the first (1st) half (1/2) of the shift and one (1) fifteen (15) minute rest period in the middle of the second (2nd) half (1/2) of such shift. An employee scheduled to work less than six (6) hours in a day shall receive one (1) fifteen (15) minute rest period in the middle of their shift.
"Any employee who works ten (10) hours or more in a day shall receive one (1) additional fifteen (15) minute break. Insofar as practicable, rest periods shall be in the middle of each work period."