Day 182 - 02 Nov 95 - Page 35
1 I worked there for four years, I was given the rates that
2 says after four years there. So, depending on how long you
3 have worked there, which other extras you have gotten
4 before, you would go up. But on agreement, on reaching a
5 collective agreement, nobody can decrease their wages.
6 That is an important point.
7
8 Q. You had quite a big wage increase, then, did you ---
9 A. About five kroner an hour, I believe.
10
11 Q. -- compared to other people?
12 A. Well, some only had about half a kroner, and some had
13 about seven, and I had about five.
14
15 Q. Right. OK. That deals with benefits from union
16 recognition. In terms of representation, you have
17 mentioned in your signed additional statement, if you like,
18 about access to companies' economic documents. Could you
19 just explain briefly what that means?
20 A. Yes. Many clients have different options and
21 prerogatives you gain by these agreements, and one is that
22 you may look at company documents and economic -----
23
24 Q. Forecasts?
25 A. Yes. Well, the -----
26
27 Q. Projections?
28 A. After a year, when you have finished, they write up a
29 big report. You can look at that and see where the money
30 is really going: how much are we spending on labour, how
31 much are we spending on other things?
32
33 Q. What about other store records; what kind of records can
34 you have access to if you are a union representative?
35 A. You have access to working schedules. Before, if there
36 is no agreement, then McDonald's themselves can decide on a
37 working schedule as they choose. After an agreement, that
38 is a collective responsibility of the representatives of
39 the union and McDonald's, to make working schedules,
40 and -----
41
42 Q. So the weekly schedules are now discussed between union
43 representatives and McDonald's for your store, for example?
44 A. Exactly, yes; and, also, you can go through payroll
45 lists, see who earns what, what extras people get, and make
46 sure they get the right wages.
47
48 Q. So you have access to payroll information on individuals?
49 A. Yes.
50
51 Q. What other rights do you have as part of the official
52 agreement, as a representative?
53 A. Well, one of the most important parts of the agreement
54 is that both parties agree to sort out any differences
55 under the rules that this agreement provides, which means
56 that any differences that appear will first be discussed
57 between local union representatives, as myself, and
58 McDonald's; and if we cannot reach an agreement, we will
59 just write a protocol on what the differences are about and
60 send them to our different parties or a higher level; and
