A financial penalty paid to a union member/employee by management due to the employee working through a meal break or working a longer shift without a meal break as dictated by the union contract. Known colloquially in some places as a "Happy Meal". The "penalty" varies greatly depending on the contract. It could be a hour's pay, or an immediate pay increase to 1.5 or 2 times the prevailing rate until a meal period is given. Many contracts state that an employee cannot go longer than 5 or 6 hours without a meal break.
