Day 006 - 05 Jul 94 - Page 73
1 A. I would hope so.
2 Q. They do -- they clean everything up and ---
A. I wish they always did.
3
Q. -- put on the best possible show they can?
4 A. Sorry?
5 Q. Do they put on the best possible show they can?
A. I would hope so, yes. It is rather natural.
6
Q. Would you say it is quite reasonable for people to be in
7 awe of high-ups from the company coming to visit their
little old store?
8 A. No. In awe? Respectful maybe; surprised on occasion,
but in awe, I do not think I would begin to go that far.
9 Most of us put our trousers on one leg at a time, you
know. We are not significantly different than they are.
10 We maybe carry a little more responsibility but, you know,
I spent many, many hours a year in stores working side by
11 side with crew people and there maybe initially a little
bit of: "Oh, my goodness, I had better be on my best
12 behaviour", but very rapidly it is incumbent upon me to
put them at ease. They are going to understand that I am
13 not some ogre trying to catch them out. I am here to work
with them, to help them, to build the business. That is
14 the only reason these people exist. McDonald's is not
built on fear -- nothing built on fear is going to last
15 very long.
16 Q. When there is a safety issue or other issues, it is not
usual -- as you said it should be dealt with at a store
17 level -- suddenly we have here two examples in a short
period of time with a head of a department, top guy,
18 coming down to visit. Do you not think they would feel
intimidated?
19 A. I think in the first case where the article says:
"I recall that I was informed by the store manager",
20 obviously, the store manager made some approach to Sid and
he responded to the approach.
21
Q. What was the reaction? Would it be possible that staff
22 could feel intimidated by that approach?
A. Well, not if they showed up. If they showed up to
23 meet Mr. Nicholson, I would have thought they were very
happy to meet with him and talk with him. If they were
24 nervous about it, I would have said quite the opposite,
but they were there. They came. They talked. That does
25 not demonstrate fear or intimidation or fright to me. It
demonstrates quite the opposite thing.
26
MR. JUSTICE BELL: These two stores are geographically quite
27 close?
A. Yes, they are.
28
Q. On the two occasions were not very far apart in time?
29 A. Yes.
30 Q. Do you remember any anxiety that a movement might be
building up in that particular part of East London for
