Dominic George: Fired up over challenge to the smoko

Can give you the chance to freshen up.

Workers face falling into an abyss of despair with no time target

I'm more motivated than ever now to form a Farming Show trade union. The main reason is to annoy Jamie Mackay.

Despite the man's insistence that I'm a left-leaning trade unionist from way back, I've never been part of a union despite having the chance to do so on numerous occasions. But the planned changes to New Zealand's employment laws have prompted a lot of discussion around this topic and it would pain Mackay so deeply that I almost can't resist the opportunity.

I tell you, if there was ever a right donnybrook (I'm watching Mad Men at the moment) brewing, it's this. At the Farming Show, it's certainly an oppressive regime, more for the fact that I have to work with Mackay than for a lack of toilet breaks. But I guess this law doesn't really apply to an office setting so much as a factory setting, for argument's sake.

Proponents of the law and those who support it because John tells them to, argue it simply gives flexibility to the employer. Opponents say it will remove guaranteed rest and meal breaks and undermine hard-won employment conditions.

I've worked in menial, clock-watching jobs that suck the life and soul out of you, hence the reason I don't do that anymore. One of the things employers don't tend to understand is that the workforce they've assembled generally work from break to break until it's time to leave. Take the break away and the worker will suddenly start free-falling into an abyss of despair as they have no temporal target to reach. They will become pale imitations of their former selves and you will gradually end up getting nothing out of them at all. People have an inherent desire to be incentivised and smoko is the most basic and accepted incentive there is. Do you think we should change the flag?

I know for most workplaces things will stay the same and, in fact, some negotiation would be welcomed by the employee. But as with the 90-day law, there will be a skulduggerous element who will use it for the sheer pleasure it brings them and because they can.

Trust me, I've worked for this type of bastard before and they are not pleasant people. One particular curmudgeon actually compiled a litany of minor offences that he pulled out when the time came to ask for a reference. Granted, there was a lot of cards and cricket played and the average break probably went on for a little longer than stipulated, but the work always got done and my backyard average crept up to a very respectable number.

I once worked at a timber mill with wonderful chaps who went by names such as "Tussock" and "Hogget". It wasn't uncommon for a few fists to fly during smoko or lunch, but that was a good thing; entertaining for the rest of us and a good way for the lads to let off a bit of steam. Trust me, you didn't want that tension and anger to simmer away and end up exploding around some pretty savage machinery.

The point is we need a new flag ... no, wait -- I mean regular breaks are a good thing. New research shows up to a quarter of dairy farm workers in this country are already burned out by stress, even during quiet periods. Let's not give the opportunity for more things to be taken away, eh?

There's some wonderful irony in this story as well. Labour Minister Michael Woodhouse is from a well-known South Dunedin working-class Catholic family. In fact, I grew up in the same house he did. I'm sure his predecessors are very proud of his efforts ... but you can't help thinking ...

It's also ironic that the law is being brought in around Labour Day, something that's been a feature in this country since 1890.

So I shall valiantly carry on. I've found out in order to piss Mackay off, form a Farming Show trade union, you need to be a registered company first ... all I need is a name.

• Dominic George hosts Farming First, 5am-6am weekdays on Radio Sport.