Day 121 - 04 May 95 - Page 42
1 would be asked questions about something that happened
2 before I was responsible for it.
3
4 MR. MORRIS: Yes, but as someone who claimed to be concerned
5 about -----
6 A. I was told about the incident by Michael Meagan. I now
7 cannot remember the detail I was told.
8
9 Q. Yes. What I am saying is that if you were concerned that
10 personnel knew their rights, whether in the UK or, in this
11 case, in Ireland ------
12
13 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Why not say that to me later? At the moment
14 you have got Mr. Nicholson who was the Head of Personnel
15 who says now he cannot remember what he was told, if
16 anything, about any Labour Board ruling or recommendation.
17 If you want to make a comment about that, do so in due
18 course but .....
19
20 MR. MORRIS: OK. (To the witness): Did you know anything at
21 the time about the attempts to start a union or recruit for
22 a union at the Seven Sisters branch in London in May 1987?
23 A. No.
24
25 Q. I did not ask you but I presume that the Guildford
26 Magistrates Court convictions of McDonald's in 1982,
27 November 1982, for offences under The Shops Act 1950, were
28 you aware of any disciplinary action that was taken?
29 A. No.
30
31 Q. Disciplinary action against management for breaches of law,
32 when you were Head of Personnel, is that something that
33 would come to your attention or you would expect to come to
34 your attention?
35 A. Most probably, yes.
36
37 Q. You would expect it to come to your attention?
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. So?
41 A. Certainly in the early days I would expect to know
42 about them all. As the Company grew, of course, I had
43 Regional Personnel Managers and I would hold them
44 responsible for dealing with things like that, and I would
45 get to know about them in the fullness of time, unless
46 there was something that needed to be brought to my
47 attention.
48
49 Q. So do you not feel it was irresponsible of whoever briefed
50 you when you started your job not to tell you about
51 previous convictions and the disciplinary action that was
52 taken so that you would have a standard?
53 A. What you have to understand is that my predecessor left
54 well before I took over the function, so he was unable to
55 brief me.
56
57 Q. Who briefed you then?
58 A. The person who briefed me on my responsibilities was
59 the then Vice President to whom my predecessor reported.
60
