Day 173 - 16 Oct 95 - Page 37
1 A. Yes, yes.
2
3 Q. And you would have read the entire recommendations?
4 A. I am sure I did, yes.
5
6 Q. Did you accept what the Labour Court set out?
7 A. Can you help me? Which book is it?
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is in yellow -- it is behind your
10 statement.
11
12 MS. STEEL: Page 139, behind the statement.
13 A. Sorry, that is index tab number?
14
15 MS. STEEL: It is behind your statement, tab 19.
16
17 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, I believe the question might be
18 rephrased. It is too broad: Did you accept what the
19 Labour Court has set out? Of course, in addition to making
20 recommendations, the Labour Court set out continuing
21 arguments.
22
23 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think Ms. Steel is going to ask Mr. Mehigan
24 to look at part of the background and thus ask whether he
25 accepts the facts there.
26
27 MR. RAMPTON: As I say, the question was too broad, until she
28 has directed his attention to some part of the document.
29
30 MS. STEEL: Would you accept the background that is set out
31 there?
32
33 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Point him at the direct piece.
34
35 MS. STEEL: The particular point ---
36
37 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Paragraph 3.
38
39 MS. STEEL: -- is at paragraph 3. "In the summer of 1977, a
40 number of workers employed by McDonald's joined the ITGWU,
41 and in August 1977 and again in February 1979 the union
42 wrote to the Company requesting a meeting to discuss the
43 wages and conditions of employment of its members."
44 A. So your question is?
45
46 Q. Would you accept that?
47 A. If the court found this to be correct, I would accept
48 what the Labour Court said.
49
50 Q. Right. I think you also accept the part after that in
51 paragraph 4: "The Company did not reply to these letters,
52 nor did it make any other steps to communicate with the
53 union until eventually seven days' strike notice was served
54 on the Company by the union in a letter dated 7th March
55 1979"?
56 A. Yes, that is correct.
57
58 Q. Why was it that you did not reply to those letters?
59 A. Well, it is a long time ago, but what I remember of the
60 time was that there was a lot of industrial strife in the
