Day 142 - 26 Jun 95 - Page 24

     
     1   Q.   In isolation, so that they are weak?
     2        A.  I have told you that our employees prefer to speak for
     3        themselves.  They have a right under US laws to combine
     4        collectively, if they wish.  They have an absolute right to
     5        do that, but our employees currently choose to represent
     6        and speak for themselves directly rather than have some
     7        third party speak for them.
     8
     9   Q.   Earlier on, Mr. Stein, you denied that you pay at or near
    10        the minimum wage in the USA; is that correct?
    11        A.  That is correct.  The wages vary, as I have testified.
    12
    13   Q.   They vary at or near the minimum wage, do they not?
    14
    15   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, are we talking about the starting rate or
    16        the average rate?  The two figures are not the same.
    17
    18   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think Mr. Morris is asking about the
    19        starting rate.
    20
    MR. MORRIS:  I would say that the average rate is at or near the
    22        minimum wage, is it not?  It is less than a dollar over the
    23        4.25 -----
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Why not start with the starting rate and then
    26        go on to the average rate.  What is being put to you, it
    27        may well be that there is a review of what prevails in the
    28        marketplace, but the marketplace is the catering industry,
    29        it is said, it is said that wages are low in the catering
    30        trade.  All that be as it may, what is being put to you is
    31        that, review or no review, the starting rate happens to be
    32        at or just a bit above the prevailing minimum rate?
    33        A.  First, my Lord, if I may correct something?
    34
    35   Q.   Yes.
    36        A.  We have looked -- the employees that we looked at are
    37        not just in the catering industry, as you will find here
    38        the retailing industry as well, and the starting wage rate
    39        from areas of the country will vary considerably.  They
    40        vary.  Some would be at or around the minimum wage and some
         would be significantly above that.
    42
    43   MR. MORRIS:  Your figures that you have given appended to your
    44        supplementary statement -- you do not have to go to them
    45        because it is very simple -- the federal minimum in 1993
    46        was the last year you give is 4.25, and McDonald's crew
    47        members' average hourly rate -- this is not starting rate
    48         -- is it useful to go to those figures?
    49
    50   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, I think we should so that we can all see 
    51        them at the same time. 
    52 
    53   THE WITNESS:  My Lord, what volume would that be?
    54
    55   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is yellow X, please?  It is the one with
    56        your statement in.  Turn to the divider 4, first of all.
    57        A.  I have it.
    58
    59   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I think in fact it is divider 5, the
    60        second statement which is behind that.