Day 248 - 13 May 96 - Page 38


     
     1   Q.   We all know what you think about McDonald's workers, but it
     2        is pretty clear that London Greenpeace fact sheet included
     3        the section criticising McDonald's for paying poor pay, low
     4        pay and bad conditions, and having no union rights, and
     5        that here we have London Greenpeace saying that they are
     6        supporting other workers in their campaign for better pay
     7        and conditions or union rights?
     8        A.  I do not know whether they want your support.  I do not
     9        think my people do.  I think that has been shown in
    10        testimony, certainly the testimony that I have read.
    11
    12   Q.   Have you wondered why----
    13
    14   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, do not take it up.
    15
    16   MR. MORRIS:  I was going to say something as a matter of market.
    17
    18   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Well, do not.  There may be, obviously,
    19        matters of motive are relevant, but...
    20
    21   MR. MORRIS:  You chose to ignore everything in this leaflet
    22        which might relate to McDonald's except for one particular
    23        line did you?
    24        A.  Well, the one...
    25
    26   Q.   When you read this leaflet for the first time?
    27        A.  There was more than one line.  There is a line in this
    28        campaign talks about, sets it out quite clearly, "Our
    29        objective, and one of our most successful campaigns, is the
    30        one to smash McDonald's, the hamburger Corporation".  It is
    31        pretty clear to me what the intention was, you are boasting
    32        about what you consider to be your most successful
    33        campaign.
    34
    35   Q.   Yes, and, "It epitomises everything we despise, a junk
    36        culture with deadly banality of capitalism." It is said in
    37        that leaflet.  People have a right to be opposed to
    38        capitalism and want to change that system do they not?
    39        A.  Sure.
    40
    41   Q.   Right.
    42        A.  People also have a right to work to it if they wish.
    43
    44   Q.   And if the capitalism did not exist, was abolished,
    45        McDonald's would cease to exist?
    46        A.  I do not know that that is true.
    47
    48   Q.   McDonald's is a capitalist organisation?
    49        A.  If capitalism ----
    50 
    51   Q.   I am not saying there is anything wrong with that.  We are 
    52        saying it is a fact, McDonald's is a capitalist 
    53        organisation?
    54
    55   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  We are getting a bit bogged down.
    56
    57   MR. MORRIS:  OK, yes.  The point is, you cannot use this leaflet
    58        as a get-out clause to justify your improper motives, not
    59        only in bringing the case as a form of censorship but also
    60        in issuing 300,000 leaflets attacking a wide range of views

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