Day 143 - 27 Jun 95 - Page 46


     
     1        wanted a part-time job that McDonald's was the employer of
     2        first choice, which I found to be very interesting.
     3
     4   Q.   Have you been to the Netherlands?
     5        A.  Yes, I have.
     6
     7   Q.   When did you visit the Netherlands?
     8        A.  I would say the first time would have been, oh, half a
     9        dozen years ago.  Boy!  You have to give or take at least a
    10        couple of years on each end.
    11
    12   Q.   Do you know what the present situation in the Netherlands
    13        is between McDonald's and the unions?
    14        A.  Only from general conversations with the Manager and
    15        people there that -----
    16
    17   Q.   Is there agreement, that is what I am saying, is there an
    18        agreement -----
    19
    20   MR. RAMPTON:  Let him finish his answer.
    21        A.  My knowledge is there is no outstanding issues, there
    22        are no problems.  I am going to have make an assumption
    23        that I do not know first hand, my Lord, I do not know
    24        whether there is an agreement or not.  I just know there
    25        are no issues of any nature that has been reported to me.
    26
    27   MR. MORRIS:  No, but are there any formal negotiations or
    28        agreements?
    29
    30   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you know whether there is any formal
    31        relationship with a union or unions in the Netherlands?
    32        A.  My Lord, I know that there is constant contact between
    33        the two.  I would assume there is probably an agreement,
    34        but I do not know that as a matter of fact because, to my
    35        knowledge, there has been ongoing relations with the
    36        union.  They would not put a bulletin board or an outdoor
    37        advertising board of that nature if there was any dispute,
    38        but I have never seen a document, a formal agreement.  I do
    39        not recall specifically getting into a formal agreement.
    40        I just know there has been constant dialogue and discussion
    41        between them, and no issues that I was informed of -- or
    42        the impression I had was that there was a very good
    43        relationship.
    44
    45   MR. MORRIS:  If we go to document 146, just regarding Denmark
    46        and what we talked about, was it yesterday or this morning,
    47        about long running disputes over negotiations and union
    48        recognition which resulted in an agreement with the union;
    49        you remember the situation in Denmark, yes?
    50        A.  I know of the situation in Denmark.  I do have some 
    51        knowledge of that. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Right.  The Hotel and Restaurant Forbund, if I can just
    54        summarise it that way, that is the union that is
    55        recognised, is it, by McDonald's, HRF?
    56        A.  I am not very good with names of unions, especially
    57        when they are in foreign languages.  I am not trying to be
    58        difficult at all, but it may very well be -- I assume it is
    59         -- but I do not know the name.
    60

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