Day 187 - 13 Nov 95 - Page 27
1 occurred.
2
3 Q. I think I may have finished. I want to check if there is
4 anything. (Pause) When you wrote to George Brown -- did
5 you write to George Brown from McDonald's France?
6 A. Yes.
7
8 Q. What did Mr. Brown say they would -- what their concern
9 would be about employment conditions in the Lyon area?
10 A. He said that I should return to the Lyon restaurants
11 and that McDonald's France did not interfere in those
12 matters of working conditions.
13
14 Q. Did he say anything, when they would interfere, on what
15 grounds would they interfere?
16 A. McDonald's France did not want to involve itself with
17 these problems.
18
19 Q. I am just going to ask a leading question, because it is in
20 the letter anyway. Did they say they would be concerned
21 that there were breaches in the law? I think an exception
22 should be made in this case, because this is a letter from
23 George Brown; it is B4; and, actually, George Brown is a
24 witness in this case.
25
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause a moment. Mr. Rampton, it seems
27 to me that it is better that that just be translated and
28 then -----
29
30 MR. RAMPTON: Left.
31
32 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Left, yes. So what I suggest is that,
33 Miss Scutcher, if you can find the letter B4?
34
35 THE INTERPRETER: Yes I have it here.
36
37 MR. JUSTICE BELL: If you could, taking as much time as you
38 want, read out into English the letter. It comes from
39 McDonald's France; it is from Boulogne, on
40 3rd November 1992. It is addressed to M. Hassen Lamti:
41 "Sir" -- and then can you read on, please?
42
43 THE INTERPRETER: "I have received your letter dated
44 22nd October 1992. Following this letter, I have contacted
45 Michel Antolinos, who has informed me about the current
46 situation. Within the framework of our normal relations
47 between ourselves, McDonald's France, and our franchisees,
48 we do not wish to involve ourselves in the affairs which
49 only concern the franchisees and their employees. Our only
50 concern is to make sure that the law is perfectly applied
51 throughout our restaurants. I am sure that this is the
52 case in the restaurant of Vilpaix. I can but recommend
53 that you re-approach Mr. Antolinos to re-discuss your
54 problem, and I would ask you to...."
55
56 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Then the usual salutation.
57
58 MR. MORRIS: It is signed "George Brown, Vice president of Human
59 Resources, McDonald's France".
60
