Day 150 - 07 Jul 95 - Page 44
1 are you saying something different?
2 A. No, no. The idea of only hiring two or three a week in
3 the lead up to having 100 people on the payroll was to
4 ensure that they could be looked after. I mean, safety,
5 yes, but also in terms of proper and adequate training,
6 whether that be for job processes or the safety aspects of
7 it. It makes life easier for everybody concerned.
8
9 Q. Now we will go on to trade unions. Has the subject of
10 trade unions ever been a topic of discussion, whether great
11 or small, a topic of interest, a topic of concern, amongst
12 crew, so far as you are aware? Can we now just for the
13 moment speak generally over the 12 years between 1983 and
14 this year that you have been involved with McDonald's?
15 A. I do not think I have had a conversation or heard any
16 comments from any members.
17
18 Q. You have really answered that, but just to make sure that
19 there is nothing that you want to say on this -----
20
21 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can we not leave it there?
22
23 MR. ATKINSON: We can leave it there.
24
25 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is a simple answer and Ms. Steel and
26 Mr. Morris can ask about it.
27
28 MR. ATKINSON (To the witness): Would you expect to know if it
29 had been a topic of discussion generally in the Company,
30 whether at management level or amongst the crew or amongst
31 anyone else associated?
32 A. I would have heard of any such comments.
33
34 Q. Why would you have heard of them?
35 A. Because in terms of the nature of my job at the time,
36 or whichever particular job or position I was in at the
37 time, part of that would be working closely with the
38 restaurants, and the people who work in the restaurants.
39 So, had there been any calls or comments, then I would have
40 either heard it directly from the crew or heard it directly
41 from Supervisors, Senior Supervisors, or whoever happened
42 to be in the position at the time.
43
44 Q. Has any crew member ever approached you personally and
45 said: "I want there to be a trade union who is going to
46 negotiate on my behalf about pay or conditions" or
47 whatever?
48 A. No.
49
50 Q. Have you personally ever been approached by a trade union
51 or a trade union representative in relation to that?
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can we improve on his very first answer from
54 your point of view? It amounted to this: "I do not think
55 I have had a conversation or heard anything about trade
56 unions in my time at McDonald's".
57
58 MR. ATKINSON: I suppose if one is being technical, one could be
59 discussing it as opposed to -----
60
