Day 174 - 17 Oct 95 - Page 22


     
     1        an interest in labour relations in relation to how I was
     2        implementing it.
     3
     4   Q.   Now, you said you implemented the National Understanding
     5        which would be the normal agreement for the hotel and
     6        catering industry in Ireland?
     7        A.  No, that would not be correct.  The National
     8        Understanding was a national pay agreement for the entire
     9        country and applied to all categories of workers, in other
    10        words, the entire work force.
    11
    12   Q.   OK.  You implemented that, which resulted in the
    13        improvements to the pay and conditions of McDonald's
    14        workers?
    15        A.  Yes, in addition to whatever raises we would be giving.
    16
    17   Q.   Right.
    18        A.  That is why I say -----
    19
    20   Q.   You implemented that as a result of the Labour Court
    21        recommendation and the discussion you had with the union
    22        immediately following that?
    23        A.  I cannot recall, you know, the details of the date that
    24        it was implemented.  Now -----
    25
    26   Q.   But it was around that time; it was all part of the package
    27        at the end of the strike, yes?
    28        A.  No.  The national wage agreement would be -- the
    29        direction the government would be giving should be
    30        implemented from a particular date.
    31
    32   Q.   Yes, I understand that.  But McDonald's previously had not
    33        operated this national wage agreement?
    34        A.  It was -- from memory, it was probably the first or
    35        maybe the second national wage agreement in the country.
    36        There had not been national wage agreements up to that
    37        time.
    38
    39   Q.   So, can you remember when you implemented this national
    40        wage agreement or National Understanding that you talk
    41        about in those letters?
    42        A.  Well, I cannot tell you the exact date, except ---
    43
    44   Q.   It was after -----
    45        A.  -- it was prior -- it was already implemented prior to
    46        September 1979.
    47
    48   Q.   But it was after the dispute started?
    49        A.  Yes.
    50 
    51   MR. JUSTICE BELL: What was the date of the National 
    52        Understanding? 
    53        A.  I cannot recall the date, my Lord.
    54
    55   Q.   Can you remember whether it had dates for when it should be
    56        brought into effect?
    57        A.  No, I cannot remember the dates.  Normally speaking, at
    58        that particular time -- it is a long time ago -- the
    59        national wage agreement ran for one year at a time,
    60        sometimes longer.

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