Day 124 - 10 May 95 - Page 13


     
     1   Q.   Yes, but the vast majority, certainly in this country, and
     2        I presume in the United States, are under 21; 75 per cent
     3        in this country are under 21.  Is that the same in the
     4        States, roughly?
     5        A.  I would say it is probably a little less than that, but
     6        still certainly the majority of our crew people would be
     7        under 21.
     8
     9   Q.   In this country I think it is something like a third.  They
    10        are actually under 18.  Would that be roughly similar in
    11        the States?
    12        A.  Fairly close.
    13
    14   Q.   So young people are a particular section of society which
    15        McDonald's likes to recruit from; is that fair enough?
    16        A.  We like to recruit from all segments of society.  Young
    17        people want part-time jobs, and the majority of the
    18        positions that we have in our restaurants are part-time
    19        positions, and we are able to fill that need.
    20
    21   Q.   So as they are, you believe, an area of the labour market
    22        that are particularly receptive, that is an area that you
    23        will recruit from, positively decide to recruit from, yes?
    24        A.  That is certainly -----
    25
    26   Q.   That makes business sense, does it not?
    27        A.  It is a good talent pool, an excellent talent pool.
    28
    29   Q.   Which you positively recruit from?
    30        A.  It has served us well.  Most of -----
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think we ought to know whether you do
    33        positively recruit from, let us say, people of the age
    34        group of under 21.  By "positively recruit them",
    35        I understand Mr. Morris to say go looking for people under
    36        21?
    37        A.  We do.
    38
    39   MR. MORRIS:  I put to you that you deliberately do that because
    40        you wish to take advantage of a vulnerable, inexperienced
    41        sector of society, and to motivate them, by using
    42        psychological techniques and management techniques, into
    43        suppressing their own wishes and needs and identity and
    44        replacing it with a corporate identity; in fact, you use
    45        them as wage slaves to make a profit for your Corporation
    46        and you brainwash them to that effect.  What would you say
    47        to all that?
    48        A.  Of course not.  Absolutely incorrect.  That is such a
    49        gross mischaracterisation of the truth.  I have indicated
    50        to you earlier the relationship that management, local 
    51        store management, has with its young employees.  I cannot 
    52        begin to tell you the number of young people in America 
    53        that have really had their lives changed by that initial
    54        work experience, particularly ---
    55
    56   Q.   You said that?
    57        A. --  particularly -- I did not make this point --
    58        disadvantaged youth, youth that come from broken homes that
    59        only have a single parent at home, some of them barely have
    60        even have, you know, a single parent at home, no-one that

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