Day 138 - 20 Jun 95 - Page 51


     
     1
     2   Q.   What exactly was ACORN?
     3        A.  ACORN was an organisation, a grass roots organisation,
     4        that, prior to taking on a union aspect, if you will, had
     5        dealt with civic issues, such as whether or not public
     6        utilities were charging too much for their electric power.
     7        They would be involved in neighbourhood issues, if you
     8        will.  It was more a grass roots community organising group
     9        versus a labour organising group.
    10
    11   Q.   Were they what we might describe as activists?
    12        A.  Yes, that is another way of putting it, yes.
    13
    14   Q.   Was the Detroit Fast-food Workers Union a local branch of a
    15        national union or not?
    16        A.  No, it was not.
    17
    18   Q.   What was it?
    19        A.  It was a spinoff, or it was either ACORN or a spinoff
    20        of ACORN.
    21
    22   Q.   Were you ever able to distinguish between ACORN in its
    23        identity as a community activist group and the Detroit
    24        Fast-food Workers Union?
    25        A.  If you will, their officials and leaders were
    26        interchangeable; they are one and the same.
    27
    28   Q.   Who owned the stores in Detroit that were the subject of
    29        this event?
    30        A.  Ralph Kelly was the owner/operator.
    31
    32   Q.   He was, therefore, a franchisee?
    33        A.  Franchisee, yes.
    34
    35   Q.   How many stores were involved?
    36        A.  He had three stores.
    37
    38   Q.   Was there a National Labour Relations Board election?
    39        A.  Yes, there was.
    40
    41   Q.   What was the result?
    42        A.  I believe it was 104 to 34 -- I may be off in a number.
    43
    44   Q.   In whose favour?
    45        A.  It was against the union.
    46
    47   Q.   Against the union and in favour of Ralph Kelly?
    48        A.  That is correct.
    49
    50   Q.   How did it come about that there was an election in the 
    51        first place, do you recall? 
    52        A.  Yes, there was a petition filed by the Detroit 
    53        Fast-food Workers, and then there was NLRB proceedings that
    54        culminated in the holding of an election, and then there
    55        were some claims after the election that Ralph Kelly had
    56        interfered with the election.  Those matters were
    57        dismissed, results certified and that was the end of it.
    58
    59   Q.   I want to take you quickly through the charges which,
    60        I understand, were made.  First, that one of the sweeteners

Prev Next Index