Greg is absolutely correct as to what the 'law' says. Nor is an unhappy person the only way the apple cart can become upset; any accident will raise the issue.
That said, let's take a reality check. As a rule, employment is AT WILL, and this is a society based upon merit and compteition, not 'rights' and entitlements. Also, in the grand scheme of things, the massive bureaucracies have less than zero interest in the operations of a five-man shop.
After all, what is 'work?' Many employers expect you to be AT your station, READY to work, at starting time. This position is completely acceptable under the law. That to do so means you need to change clothes, organize your tools, etc., before starting time is not relevant. Ditto regarding breaks and lunchtime.
So, what 'check' is there? The most obvious is that you vote with your feet - go elsewhere. You owe the bum nothing. Hard times? Not relevant. (I suspect that any employer who uses the current economy to lord it over his crew will have a rude wake-up call the moment another opportunity arises).
The other option is to act together with your fellow employees - that is, to form or join a union. While this is not a forum where we discuss the ins and outs of unions, it is -at least in theory- an attempt to deal with the exact sort of issues you mention.
