The Rural Voice, 1981-05, Page 37GISELE IRELAND
They'd better treat
us nice
Farmers are now legislated to be able to pay their spouses for
work done in the business. This could have some very interesting
connotations for the relationship of farmers in the future.
When you are getting paid, the terms
are that actual hours have to be proven in
the business. This in effect. makes your
spouse your employer. I don't feel we will
have gained all that much, but it could
certainly prove interesting upon occasion.
How are the terms of employment
going to be defined? When you arc
working for your spouse you will treat
him with the courtesy an employer
deserves if you are to be paid. I wonder if
you can tell him where to go in four letter
words when he is particularly annoying
without getting fired? Do you still have to make him coffee in the
middle of the morning or should you demand that it is not your
job. What about getting the noon meal. Unless you throw the
stuff in the pot the night before someone is going to have to
break down and fill the tummies. If you don't, imagine what he'll
be like to work for the rest of the day.
Another thing you could have heaps of giggles with is the
Sexual Harassment Act. While he is employing you he is not
allowed to make lewd propositions. touch your person or
threaten you with dismissal if you don't come across. To me, it
will take all the fun out of working together, because fooling
around with the boss will be one of the few benefits l'Il get out of
this so-called employment. I wonder though if some don't
make hay with such a situation. There is a lot of body contact in
the livestock business and when you're loading a bunch of
recalcitrant pork chops on the truck who is to determine that the
swat across the rump wasn't meant for Miss Piggy instead.
Ideally we should be able to handle any job the spouse does.
This is certainly not true in most cases. If something goes wrong
%kith a piece of machinery or equipment I wait until Super
Wrench has a look at it. You could get your pay docked for
haning around and loitering.
Your expertise will determine the salary you receive for your
labours and supposedly you have to justify this. Who is going to
determine what you are worth on a given job and on a given day?
Some days I'm not worth a lot, and on others, depending on my
disposition I can work anyone under the grain bin. Imagine the
kind of productivity you would have. if previous to your hours of
employment, you have had a raging row over where the bed is
supposed to be put in the room. The atmosphere would be
anything but conducive to rewarding labour and being as
vindictive as I am I would make sure that everything the
employer touched would either fall apart or on him for that day.
He could actually report you to the labour board and you could
get reprimanded.
The employer in this case must be evermindful of the fact that
his employee will switch to a sweet- tempered little housewife
after the hours of employment are over. He could get cold
wieners for supper. have a drawerful of ripped pants and
have to run an obstacle course through the house to get
anywhere. They'd better treat us nice or our dual purpose role
could make for a lot of fun and discomfort at their ekpense.
FARMERS
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THE RURAL VOICE/MAY 1981 PG. 35