Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 58
1 Q. But that would be a massive boom to you, would it not, to
2 have that kind of employee power at McDonald's, to stop the
3 production line over safety issues?
4 A. Why should they need it if the managers are properly
5 trained and empowered to react themselves to any safety
6 matter?
7
8 Q. This would help you greatly in your position as health and
9 safety or hygiene and safety, as you call yourself, if
10 employees had that extra sanction on management. That were
11 certainly perk up management's responsibility if they knew
12 that the employee might say: "That is it, we are all
13 stopping work"?
14 A. This is nothing to stop them saying that now.
15
16 Q. Apart from the fact it is probably gross misconduct to
17 disobey an order.
18
19 MR. RAMPTON: Is that an question?
20
21 MR. JUSTICE BELL: As if it would be gross misconduct if someone
22 said: "I am not going to operate that machine, it is
23 dangerous".
24 A. I would not expect it to be. I do not know the
25 specifics of our personnel manual, but I would not expect
26 it to be. What is more we specifically ask crew to point
27 out to managers if they feel something is unsafe, or if
28 something looks like it needs repairing.
29
30 MR. MORRIS: So have you ever sent any memos to crew members or
31 articles in Mac News saying: "If you refuse to work with
32 what you consider to be any unsafe machinery or practices
33 that you are asked to do by management -----"
34 A. There are plenty of examples saying to crew, if you see
35 something you think is dangerous, please let a manager know
36 straightaway. We not asking them to hide it or carry on
37 with it, we are asking them to point it out so it can be
38 addressed.
39
40 Q. If it is pointed out and nothing is done, then they should
41 be encouraged to take action themselves, should they?
42 A. One of the reasons we have rap sessions is so they can
43 talk to somebody outside of the restaurant if they are
44 unhappy with about how the restaurant management have been
45 reacting to their requests.
46
47 Q. So they have to wait 4 months?
48 A. They would not have to, they could ring the personnel
49 department, they could go to the area supervisor.
50
51 Q. But -----
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: But the reality is, it really depends upon
54 the manager, be it the store manager, or the shift manager,
55 taking a responsible view, if one of the crew points out to
56 him or her that there is something which they think is
57 dangerous?
58 A. Exactly, and the manager is there on the spot. He is
59 the best one to judge.
60
