Day 173 - 16 Oct 95 - Page 41
1 keeping your head down. I assume they have the same phrase
2 in Ireland as we do in England?
3 A. You could say that, my Lord.
4
5 MS. STEEL: The position was basically that you did not want to
6 have any dealings with the union; is that fair to say?
7 A. Well, no, it is not fair to say. The union had not
8 clearly identified who they represented; and, from my point
9 of view, I did not see a need to respond to that letter
10 until there was some proof that they were acting on behalf
11 of somebody.
12
13 Q. So you then go on to say in your statement that it was
14 after the opening of the second restaurant in January 1979
15 in Upper O'Connell Street that you received a further
16 approach from the Irish Transport and General Workers
17 Union. Can you just confirm, is that the letter we see on
18 page 963 of tab 59? That would be in the pink bundle; it
19 is the first page.
20 A. Sorry, what page?
21
22 Q. Page 963. It also has a "1" at the bottom.
23 A. Yes, yes.
24
25 Q. That is the letter you are referring to there?
26 A. Yes, that is correct.
27
28 Q. Dated 14th February 1979, from the branch secretary of the
29 ITGWU, seeking an early meeting in relation to wages and
30 conditions of the members that they were representing?
31 A. Yes.
32
33 Q. If we just turn over to page 964, this is a memorandum re
34 possible union activity at the Upper O'Connell Street
35 branch. If you look on page 967, it has your name at the
36 bottom of it, but it also says copies to you. Was this a
37 document that you prepared?
38 A. Yes, it would have been.
39
40 Q. It is dated 28th February, 1979?
41 A. Yes, that is the date of it.
42
43 Q. It says here: "The Manager, Martin Coughlin, bought to my
44 attention the fact that there were some rumblings amongst
45 the crew of possible union activity on 12th February 1979."
46 Was that the date that Mr. Coughlin brought this to your
47 attention, or is that the date that the rumblings were
48 going on, or were they one and the same thing?
49 A. I cannot remember the date at this point. It is a long
50 time ago.
51
52 Q. "On 15th February I received a letter which was delivered
53 from the Irish Transport and General Workers Union by hand
54 seeking a meeting with us in relation to their members
55 employed in our establishment. After discussions with
56 Martin Coughlin he felt that there could possibly be up to
57 20 involved and these were mostly females. He felt the
58 people mostly responsible for instigating things were Sean
59 Mosrek, Marie Walsh (ex Grafton Street), Mary Golding, Paul
60 French, Mark Tyrell and Theresa Baker."
