Day 006 - 05 Jul 94 - Page 66
1 prepared to ----
A. Do this from their pay packet?
2
Q. ---- deduct their subscriptions at source and pay them to
3 the union. But Mr. Morris really has been dealing with
the first one, whether they can be members at all.
4
MR. MORRIS: If a group of employees wish to join a trade union
5 in a particular store, I believe you said on Friday that
that is up to them. Would you be prepared to negotiate as
6 a company?
A. What is a group? Three people?
7
Q. With a trade union branch?
8 A. Three people out of a staff of 100? No. That is
hardly representative.
9
Q. So if a substantial amount of employees such as a third?
10 A. No.
11 Q. What about 51 per cent in a store?
A. Over half, I would consider it.
12
Q. You would consider it, but is it not their right?
13 A. They can join anything they wish. My negotiation with
a third party is quite another question. I think we
14 should separate the two.
15 Q. Is not one of the main purposes of being in a trade union
to negotiate? It is not just like a club?
16 A. Well, is it? You tell me.
17 Q. It will come up later in the employment section, that in
Ireland the Labour Board ordered that if a group of
18 employees in a store wished to join a union, the company
must accept a representative of that group and negotiate
19 with them over conditions that those employees wish to
negotiate over.
20 A. What is "a group"?
21 Q. Well -----
A. Is it 51 per cent, or is it 3?
22
Q. You are saying the problem seems to be the need for a
23 third party, if there is a need for a third party. If
employees think there is a need for a third party because
24 they feel whatever, hard done by, rightly or wrongly,
would you be prepared to negotiate with them?
25
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause a minute. What Mr. Preston was
26 asking you, you say if employees think there is a need for
a third party, which presumes that all employees are going
27 to feel the same way about it.
28 MR. MORRIS: No, I am talking about a section.
29 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes. You are being asked -- I do not know
what the Labour Board ordered, whether the Labour Board
30 said: Provided X per cent belonged to a union McDonald's
must negotiate with them, or whether they put no
