Day 247 - 10 May 96 - Page 20
1
2 In May 1989, after 2 months of negotiations, McDonald's
3 finally accepted the trade union agreement over staff
4 conditions. After this, the trade union protests were
5 called off."
6
7 I think there has been a formal admission about the -- this
8 is from my recollection, I might have it wrong -- about the
9 "in September 1988 McDonald's broke of year-long
10 negotiations with the unions over staff rights". I might
11 be wrong in that, but it is my recollection and I am just
12 checking.
13
14 What I have read out, is that accurate? It may not be the
15 whole picture, from your point of view, but is that in
16 itself accurate as you understand the situation to have
17 been in Denmark before the agreement was finally signed?
18 A. I have to tell you, I got involved with Denmark about 3
19 or 3 and a half years ago. In the early 1980s and the late
20 1980s I had nothing whatsoever to do with the country.
21 I know a little bit about the store and I know a little bit
22 about the make up of Denmark, but as to who broke off what,
23 who was disagreeing about what, I am sorry, I cannot help
24 you with any details; it was long before my time.
25
26 Q. Right. You were aware that ----
27
28 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause here because Mr. Sam Stein was
29 asked various questions about alleged events around the
30 world. He gave a response, and on one or two occasions
31 since then there has been a complaint that he gave lots of
32 hearsay evidence in those answers. So, I want you to make
33 sure that you do actually want Mr. Preston to give answers
34 which it seems to me are almost certainly bound to rely on
35 hearsay. You are actually asking him to do that. I will
36 not stop you, although it is almost certainly inadmissible.
37 If you want to ask him, it is difficult to see the point.
38
39 Just as you going to ask me to, quite rightly, discard all
40 the hearsay which Mr. Stein produced in answer to your
41 questions, I am going to have to disregard what Mr. Preston
42 says if it is hearsay.
43
44 MR. MORRIS: So, is it the case you are aware that there were
45 for a number of years in the 1980s negotiations which
46 stalled for one reason or another with the unions in
47 Denmark, with the HRF union in Denmark?
48 A. Well, first of all, you mention a union, HRF. I cannot
49 tell you if it was HRF or somebody else, I have no idea, I
50 was not there.
51
52 Q. I understand that, but there were negotiations between
53 McDonald's Denmark and a union?
54 A. There were discussions.
55
56 Q. Right?
57 A. Whether "negotiations" is the word or not, I am not
58 sure. Certainly, there were discussions going on. Who was
59 doing them, who was involved, I could not give you a name.
60
