Day 173 - 16 Oct 95 - Page 42


     
     1
     2        The letter that is referred to in that paragraph about "On
     3        15th February I received a letter from the ITGWU", that
     4        would be the same letter that we were just referring to a
     5        moment ago; yes?
     6        A.  Yes, it would be.
     7
     8   Q.   The one that you said there was no impetus from staff to
     9        deem such negotiations necessary?
    10        A.  There was no one named in that letter.
    11
    12   Q.  "He also indicated that a previous employee Owen O'Brien who
    13        had worked as a maintenance man had in fact a union card,
    14        but he resigned on approximately 9th February 1979 because
    15        of an infringement of our policies.  He accepted free food
    16        from another employee at the Grafton Street store and was
    17        observed by a manager.  After this situation came to light,
    18        he handed in his resignation to Martin Coughlin the
    19        following day which was 9th February 1979."
    20
    21        How did Mr. Coughlin find out that he was a member of the
    22        union?
    23        A.  I honestly do not know.
    24
    25   Q.   He did not tell you that, or you do not remember?
    26        A.  Well, I mean, it is a long time ago, so these notes
    27        were written at the time.  So I cannot recall, OK, whether
    28        Mr.  -----
    29
    30   Q.   Sorry?
    31        A.  Sorry.  I cannot recall whether Mr. Coughlin told me --
    32        sorry, what was your question again, may I ask?
    33
    34   Q.   The previous one?
    35        A.  Sorry, you asked me a question about Martin Coughlin
    36        and Owen O'Brien.  I am sorry.
    37
    38   Q.   How Martin Coughlin knew that Owen O'Brien had a union
    39        card?
    40        A.  I do not know.
    41
    42   Q.   Why should you care whether or not Owen O'Brien had a union
    43        card?
    44        A.  Other than if he had one and Martin Coughlin told me,
    45        then that is what I put down here on the minutes.
    46
    47   Q.   But you consider it a significant matter worthy of being
    48        put down in this memorandum?
    49        A.  I guess I did.
    50 
    51   Q.   It then goes on to say: "A crew meeting had been scheduled 
    52        for 18th February and this took place."  How often did crew 
    53        meetings take place at this time?
    54        A.  Probably, I would say, every couple of months.
    55
    56   Q.   Were they -- we have heard something about crew meetings
    57        around the world, or certainly in the UK and USA, that
    58        generally crew meetings are held some time after a rap
    59        session to kind of feed back on what came up at the rap
    60        session.  Was that the position in the Irish stores as

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