Day 303 - 19 Nov 96 - Page 37


     
     1        a fairly straightforward way.
     2
     3   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  She may be an honest woman.
     4
     5   MR. RAMPTON:  Unlike all the other McDonald's witnesses.
     6
     7   MR. MORRIS:  Can we quote Mr. Rampton?
     8
     9   MR. RAMPTON:  I am quoting you, Mr. Morris.
    10
    11   MR. MORRIS:   I am afraid to say I do not think   McDonald's
    12         ----
    13
    14   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  She may be an honest woman who has enough
    15        gumption to set up her own business and just says it as she
    16        recalls it.
    17
    18   MR. MORRIS:  I think it definitely helped having the film
    19        there.  There are various comments about the rap sessions.
    20
    21   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You say she gave some insight into what
    22        happens?
    23
    24   MR. MORRIS:  Yes, I think so.  She backed up what it said in the
    25        film and in some cases, because of cross-examination, she
    26        went further.  She said that staff had to ask permission to
    27        leave at the end of a shift.  This is on page 2 of day
    28        162.  All the other references were 161.  She said that 97
    29        hours in one week was probably an exaggeration, and that
    30        she had heard a similar allegation at the time of his
    31        departure.  She had heard that from Head Office.  So it
    32        seems that in fact this was something like that was the
    33        reality.  That was a manager.
    34
    35   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That was the young man who was appeared on
    36        the film?
    37
    38   MR. MORRIS:  Yes.  Page 5 on 162 she said "apart from things
    39        I have said in the witness box, the film is a fair
    40        representation".  So not only is it an accurate
    41        representation, it is a fair representation as well.  Also
    42        on page 5 she said it was pretty hectic at the Strand,
    43        "most of the time".  She explained how the lettuce was
    44        used.  Food products were used that were out of date,
    45        although it was not that often, she said on page 6, line
    46        29, which referred to the lettuce which had a shelf life of
    47        seven days.  It is quite remarkable how long some food
    48        products, apparently, are being kept.  That is all on page
    49        6.
    50
    51        She did say something to the effect on page 7, lines 17 and
    52        28 that they must continue production.  I think that is a
    53        reference to really the pressure is on to keep the products
    54        flowing whatever happens and she expected -- sorry, all of
    55        the toasters are hot enough to burn on the side, she said.
    56        One interesting thing she said about the Strand was, she
    57        said that students were kept on the payroll for up to three
    58        months and it would not surprise her if it happened
    59        nationally, which basically confirmed what we had
    60        originally, instinctively thought would be the case, which

Prev Next Index