Day 124 - 10 May 95 - Page 13
1 Q. Yes, but the vast majority, certainly in this country, and
2 I presume in the United States, are under 21; 75 per cent
3 in this country are under 21. Is that the same in the
4 States, roughly?
5 A. I would say it is probably a little less than that, but
6 still certainly the majority of our crew people would be
7 under 21.
8
9 Q. In this country I think it is something like a third. They
10 are actually under 18. Would that be roughly similar in
11 the States?
12 A. Fairly close.
13
14 Q. So young people are a particular section of society which
15 McDonald's likes to recruit from; is that fair enough?
16 A. We like to recruit from all segments of society. Young
17 people want part-time jobs, and the majority of the
18 positions that we have in our restaurants are part-time
19 positions, and we are able to fill that need.
20
21 Q. So as they are, you believe, an area of the labour market
22 that are particularly receptive, that is an area that you
23 will recruit from, positively decide to recruit from, yes?
24 A. That is certainly -----
25
26 Q. That makes business sense, does it not?
27 A. It is a good talent pool, an excellent talent pool.
28
29 Q. Which you positively recruit from?
30 A. It has served us well. Most of -----
31
32 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think we ought to know whether you do
33 positively recruit from, let us say, people of the age
34 group of under 21. By "positively recruit them",
35 I understand Mr. Morris to say go looking for people under
36 21?
37 A. We do.
38
39 MR. MORRIS: I put to you that you deliberately do that because
40 you wish to take advantage of a vulnerable, inexperienced
41 sector of society, and to motivate them, by using
42 psychological techniques and management techniques, into
43 suppressing their own wishes and needs and identity and
44 replacing it with a corporate identity; in fact, you use
45 them as wage slaves to make a profit for your Corporation
46 and you brainwash them to that effect. What would you say
47 to all that?
48 A. Of course not. Absolutely incorrect. That is such a
49 gross mischaracterisation of the truth. I have indicated
50 to you earlier the relationship that management, local
51 store management, has with its young employees. I cannot
52 begin to tell you the number of young people in America
53 that have really had their lives changed by that initial
54 work experience, particularly ---
55
56 Q. You said that?
57 A. -- particularly -- I did not make this point --
58 disadvantaged youth, youth that come from broken homes that
59 only have a single parent at home, some of them barely have
60 even have, you know, a single parent at home, no-one that
