Day 247 - 10 May 96 - Page 20


     
     1
     2        In May 1989, after 2 months of negotiations, McDonald's
     3        finally accepted the trade union agreement over staff
     4        conditions.  After this, the trade union protests were
     5        called off."
     6
     7        I think there has been a formal admission about the -- this
     8        is from my recollection, I might have it wrong -- about the
     9        "in September 1988 McDonald's broke of year-long
    10        negotiations with the unions over staff rights".  I might
    11        be wrong in that, but it is my recollection and I am just
    12        checking.
    13
    14        What I have read out, is that accurate?  It may not be the
    15        whole picture, from your point of view, but is that in
    16        itself accurate as you understand the situation to have
    17        been in Denmark before the agreement was finally signed?
    18        A.  I have to tell you, I got involved with Denmark about 3
    19        or 3 and a half years ago.  In the early 1980s and the late
    20        1980s I had nothing whatsoever to do with the country.
    21        I know a little bit about the store and I know a little bit
    22        about the make up of Denmark, but as to who broke off what,
    23        who was disagreeing about what, I am sorry, I cannot help
    24        you with any details; it was long before my time.
    25
    26   Q.   Right.  You were aware that ----
    27
    28   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Just pause here because Mr. Sam Stein was
    29        asked various questions about alleged events around the
    30        world.  He gave a response, and on one or two occasions
    31        since then there has been a complaint that he gave lots of
    32        hearsay evidence in those answers.  So, I want you to make
    33        sure that you do actually want Mr. Preston to give answers
    34        which it seems to me are almost certainly bound to rely on
    35        hearsay.  You are actually asking him to do that.  I will
    36        not stop you, although it is almost certainly inadmissible.
    37        If you want to ask him, it is difficult to see the point.
    38
    39        Just as you going to ask me to, quite rightly, discard all
    40        the hearsay which Mr. Stein produced in answer to your
    41        questions, I am going to have to disregard what Mr. Preston
    42        says if it is hearsay.
    43
    44   MR. MORRIS:  So, is it the case you are aware that there were
    45        for a number of years in the 1980s negotiations which
    46        stalled for one reason or another with the unions in
    47        Denmark, with the HRF union in Denmark?
    48        A.  Well, first of all, you mention a union, HRF.  I cannot
    49        tell you if it was HRF or somebody else, I have no idea, I
    50        was not there. 
    51 
    52   Q.   I understand that, but there were negotiations between 
    53        McDonald's Denmark and a union?
    54        A.  There were discussions.
    55
    56   Q.   Right?
    57        A.  Whether "negotiations" is the word or not, I am not
    58        sure.  Certainly, there were discussions going on.  Who was
    59        doing them, who was involved, I could not give you a name.
    60

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