Day 142 - 26 Jun 95 - Page 23

     
     1        A.  That has happened, yes.
     2
     3   Q.   Did they just give their point of view and then the Manager
     4        went away and looked into it?
     5        A.  It occurs in a different context.  They may join with
     6        the Manager in doing this survey; they may want to do some
     7        things on their own and bring that to the attention and
     8        bring that to the discussion.  Usually, there would be
     9        mutual agreement on how you proceed from there and what
    10        needs to be done to get to the bottom of it, if you will,
    11        and make sure that there is satisfaction with how it was
    12        resolved.
    13
    14   Q.   Can you name a single instance of one of these surveys?
    15        A.  That kind of thing happens from time to time.  I do not
    16        reflect on that.  These are matters in the ordinary course
    17        that the local managers or the local owner/operators deal
    18        with.  This is not an unusual thing.
    19
    20   Q.   So you do not instruct owner/operators to have regular
         meetings with crew to negotiate wages?
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That must be so.  You really do not have to
    24        ask questions to verify negatives which you consider to be
    25        in your favour.  There is no system within McDonald's for
    26        arranging that managers or owner/operators treat with
    27        groups of employees about wage rates to negotiate wage
    28        rates, no system for that.  It may well happen that in
    29        Winsconsin a group of employees in a restaurant have got
    30        together and gone to see the manager or the owner/operator?
    31        A.  That is correct, my Lord.
    32
    33   Q.   But there is no system for that happening?
    34        A.  That is correct as you have put it, my Lord, yes.
    35
    36   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Where we go from there is a matter for
    37        argument.
    38
    39   MS. STEEL:  Yes.
    40
    MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But that much is common ground.
    42
    43   MS. STEEL:  OK.
    44
    45   MR. MORRIS:  The reason that you prefer to, as you say, deal
    46        with employees one to one, directly, is because you do not
    47        want them to have the backing of collective organisation
    48        such as a union?
    49        A.  Not true.
    50 
    51   Q.   So they are isolated? 
    52        A.  Not true. 
    53
    54   Q.   So the Company is strong, can wield its power and force its
    55        employees to accept the conditions that the Company
    56        dictates; that is the case?
    57        A.  Not true whatsoever. We respect the rights of our
    58        people to speak for themselves and to deal with matters
    59        that they would prefer to deal with for themselves.
    60