Day 184 - 06 Nov 95 - Page 36


     
     1
     2   Q.   You do not think it is an abuse of someone who has power
     3        over young people and young people's needs for money, for
     4        them to be continuously telling them how they should think
     5        and how they should work?
     6        A.  Definitely not.  Almost -- just as a comparison,
     7        I watched many videos at Northern Reflections, and it did
     8        not, you know -- and I got an impression off of them as
     9        well, you know, as to their style of work and everything.
    10        But, I mean, McDonald's does not brainwash anybody, and
    11        they do not, like, try and do anything to your mind; they
    12        just say:  "This is the way we work.  This is the way we do
    13        it."
    14
    15   Q.   Coming back to the unionisation drive, over a period of
    16        some, whatever it was, two or three weeks -- if you count
    17        September, maybe it was six weeks altogether, this whole
    18        signing people up process, trying to get the union
    19        established.  Do you know why the union was in such a hurry
    20        to get a majority of people to join?
    21        A.  Then, no, I did not know.  Now, the only thing I can
    22        figure is because they wanted to get their cards as soon as
    23        possible to the Labour Board.
    24
    25   Q.   But they were concerned that people might face dismissal;
    26        that is what they said at the time; yes?
    27        A.  Sarah made that point about: "If you sign a card, you
    28        know, we can protect you if you get fired."  But, I mean,
    29        I never thought that I would lose my job, and I -----
    30
    31   Q.   But the union felt that people might lose their jobs if the
    32        management knew about it?
    33
    34   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I do not know how she can possibly answer
    35        that question.  She can say what they said to her but she
    36        cannot say whether they believed it or not.
    37
    38   MR. MORRIS:  Right. (To the witness):  Is that what was said,
    39        though, that they were saying they were concerned that
    40        people might lose their jobs unless, you know,
    41        everybody  -----
    42        A.  No.  They just said that, you know, if we did lose our
    43        jobs they would be able to fight for us if we signed a
    44        card.  That is the only kind of statement they made.  They
    45        did not say:  "You have to sign now because you are going
    46        to lose your job if they find out".  They never -- I mean,
    47        from what I can recall, they never made a statement like
    48        that.
    49
    50   Q.   But the whole thing was kept completely secret from 
    51        management; is that correct? 
    52        A.  No. 
    53
    54   Q.   So, tell us more then.
    55        A.  Well, once Travis and Chris found out about it, they
    56        said that Sarah had mentioned it to them, but they thought
    57        it was a joke so they just blew it off.
    58
    59   Q.   I am sorry, Travis and ---
    60        A.  Chris Broom.

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