Day 184 - 06 Nov 95 - Page 36
1
2 Q. You do not think it is an abuse of someone who has power
3 over young people and young people's needs for money, for
4 them to be continuously telling them how they should think
5 and how they should work?
6 A. Definitely not. Almost -- just as a comparison,
7 I watched many videos at Northern Reflections, and it did
8 not, you know -- and I got an impression off of them as
9 well, you know, as to their style of work and everything.
10 But, I mean, McDonald's does not brainwash anybody, and
11 they do not, like, try and do anything to your mind; they
12 just say: "This is the way we work. This is the way we do
13 it."
14
15 Q. Coming back to the unionisation drive, over a period of
16 some, whatever it was, two or three weeks -- if you count
17 September, maybe it was six weeks altogether, this whole
18 signing people up process, trying to get the union
19 established. Do you know why the union was in such a hurry
20 to get a majority of people to join?
21 A. Then, no, I did not know. Now, the only thing I can
22 figure is because they wanted to get their cards as soon as
23 possible to the Labour Board.
24
25 Q. But they were concerned that people might face dismissal;
26 that is what they said at the time; yes?
27 A. Sarah made that point about: "If you sign a card, you
28 know, we can protect you if you get fired." But, I mean,
29 I never thought that I would lose my job, and I -----
30
31 Q. But the union felt that people might lose their jobs if the
32 management knew about it?
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I do not know how she can possibly answer
35 that question. She can say what they said to her but she
36 cannot say whether they believed it or not.
37
38 MR. MORRIS: Right. (To the witness): Is that what was said,
39 though, that they were saying they were concerned that
40 people might lose their jobs unless, you know,
41 everybody -----
42 A. No. They just said that, you know, if we did lose our
43 jobs they would be able to fight for us if we signed a
44 card. That is the only kind of statement they made. They
45 did not say: "You have to sign now because you are going
46 to lose your job if they find out". They never -- I mean,
47 from what I can recall, they never made a statement like
48 that.
49
50 Q. But the whole thing was kept completely secret from
51 management; is that correct?
52 A. No.
53
54 Q. So, tell us more then.
55 A. Well, once Travis and Chris found out about it, they
56 said that Sarah had mentioned it to them, but they thought
57 it was a joke so they just blew it off.
58
59 Q. I am sorry, Travis and ---
60 A. Chris Broom.
