Day 006 - 05 Jul 94 - Page 68
1 restaurant manager does not have the power to set terms
and conditions, raise contracts of employment or set wage
2 rates themselves. That is not within their brief. It
would be referred upwards.
3
Q. Are you able to say whether that situation has ever arisen
4 in Ireland and, if so, what happened or can you not help
us on that one?
5 A. I can never recall something like that happening in
Ireland, but I am not the person to ask. I do not really
6 know.
7 MR. MORRIS: But outside of discussing national conditions for
staff, if a group of employees in a local branch had some
8 kind of discontent and they wanted to talk to the manager
as a group negotiation, or whatever, is that an instore
9 matter?
A. The whole system of rap sessions conducted in a
10 restaurant with members of staff is done locally. Often
times by impartial management people from another group,
11 another store, who will listen to what has been talked
about, conduct the interviews, rap, R-A P, "relating about
12 people", that is what it stands for, but it would not be
conducted by the manager or manageress themselves of that
13 store. It would be conducted by a separate group of
people, then reported back upon.
14
Q. You have said that it works from the bottom up, the
15 company, yes, and if it is a safety thing, if people want
to talk to the manager about some safety issues or
16 whatever, this is something that is dealt with on a store
level?
17 A. It would be raised there first most likely, and if
manager could resolve it, if it was something within his
18 parameters, the chances are they would do it. If it was
something he could not fix, he would refer it up to his
19 boss and further up the hierarchy, I would imagine.
20 Q. It would go further up the hierarchy if it something
serious?
21 A. Sometimes things minor.
22 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Are you on safety or just generally now?
23 MR. MORRIS: Generally at the moment.
24 MR. JUSTICE BELL: There may be very different considerations
which relate to a union representative coming and talking
25 about rates of pay and him coming and talking about
someone who has burnt his hand.
26
MR. MORRIS: Yes, I understand that. I am trying to see -- say
27 on the discontent side or even just the employee side,
what would have to be a serious situation that would mean
28 that it would go beyond the manager?
A. I could not begin to guess. You are asking me to be
29 hypothetical.
30 Q. There must be discontent in McDonald's stores from time to
time and rap session brings it out, you say?
