Day 123 - 09 May 95 - Page 06

     
     1
     2   MS. STEEL:  I did not realise you were going to make a ruling.
     3
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am certainly not making any political
     5        judgments in this case at all.
     6
     7   MS. STEEL:  I did not actually realise you were going to make a
     8        ruling and we did not get an opportunity to present a full
     9        argument on it.
    10
    11   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Abide by it nevertheless.
    12
    13   MR. MORRIS (To the witness):  Did you look into the reasons why
    14        McDonald's Corporation decided to sue two Defendants?
    15        A.  Look into the reasons?
    16
    17   Q.   Yes.
    18        A.  I think I indicated that we felt that the statements
    19        that were made in the leaflet contained a number of
    20        mistruths and it tarnished our image brand and reputation.
    21
    22   Q.   Do you know who made the decision?
    23        A.  The executive in charge here in England made the
    24        decision.
    25
    26   Q.   Mr. Preston?  (Witness nods in affirmative)  You will have
    27        to say "yes" because a nod will not come out on the
    28        transcript.
    29        A.  Yes -- I am sorry, yes.
    30
    31   Q.   He has a role in the Corporation, does he not, but he does
    32        not have a policy-making role?
    33        A.  He has a policy-making role with regard to affairs with
    34        regard to English operations and he is a member of
    35        McDonald's top management team.
    36
    37   Q.   In the USA?
    38        A.  Yes.
    39
    40   Q.   Does McDonald's, in your experience, in America find it
         hard to accept criticism?
    42        A.  I do not believe it is difficult to accept criticism;
    43        it comes with the turf.  That is a part of being in
    44        business; you are going to get people that pat you on the
    45        back from time to time and other times people that might
    46        criticise some of the things that you might do.
    47
    48   Q.   Because of McDonald's position, is it fair to say that they
    49        do get a substantial amount of criticism?
    50        A.  I would not characterise the amount of criticism as 
    51        being "substantial".  From time to time we do receive 
    52        criticism. 
    53
    54   Q.   I mean, you have had criticism about -- there is a phrase
    55        here -- I do not know if it is the same in America --
    56        "McJobs"; have you heard of that phrase in America?
    57        A.  Yes, I have.
    58
    59   Q.   It has been used here to imply they are not real jobs, low
    60        wage, Mickey Mouse kind of jobs; is that how that phrase