Day 123 - 09 May 95 - Page 28
1 management. There are probably a lot more guidelines in
2 McDonald's than policies. But we find that policies,
3 having a lot of policies, can be a bit restrictive. We
4 think that a great deal of flexibility is needed to operate
5 a business properly. So, we think the use of guidelines
6 makes more sense, business sense.
7
8 Q. So apart from policies and guidelines, is there any other
9 equivalent, a different level of imposition? Is there
10 anything else, apart from policies or guidelines, is there
11 some in between, or any other, something higher than a
12 policy or lower than a guideline?
13 A. As I indicated earlier, we have certain philosophies
14 that are passed on, operating philosophies, that are, you
15 know, basic to McDonald's, some basic policies that are put
16 into force and quite a few guidelines, as I have indicated.
17
18 Q. Do you know of anybody in the Corporation above the level
19 of -- I am not sure what level to start with -- can you
20 think of some examples where people, say, in positions of
21 responsibility in departments, as opposed to within stores
22 or working directly with stores in a local area, above that
23 level, part of the administrative body of the Corporation,
24 who has ever been dismissed for violation of policy?
25 A. Yes.
26
27 Q. What was that?
28 A. I do not know if I need to be specific, you know, on
29 that, but I can tell you that there have been executives
30 that have been dismissed for violation of policy, Company
31 policy.
32
33 Q. Which policy was that then that was violated?
34 A. Do I have to be specific, my Lord?
35
36 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, I am wondering about the relevance of
37 this whole line of cross-examination. I know of nothing in
38 the leaflet or in the Defence which says that crew members
39 are habitually dismissed for bad reasons and for reasons
40 which involved the proper dismissal of an executive.
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Are we actually on employment now or whether
43 McDonald's policies mean anything?
44
45 MR. MORRIS: No. The point is not every single question relates
46 to a direct sentence in the leaflet, as Mr. Rampton
47 himself -----
48
49 MR. JUSTICE BELL: No, that does not matter. It is reasonable,
50 as I have said, to ask you, if it is not clear, what actual
51 topic you are on, because the question has to relate to
52 some issue which might arise in relation to the leaflet.
53 So just tell me what you are aiming at now.
54
55 MR. MORRIS: McDonald's in their Defence, I suppose you could
56 call it, have tried to claim they have policies on various
57 subjects.
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I understand that.
60
