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

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