Day 142 - 26 Jun 95 - Page 34
1 I know.
2
3 Q. Do you say that is a common theme of unions, that they want
4 guaranteed hours for McDonald's employees?
5 A. I disagree with that. There may be times when they do
6 that. There are other times they totally disregard any
7 interest of the employees and only have their interests at
8 stake and at heart.
9
10 Q. Would you say it was a general theme or general policy of
11 McDonald's to be opposed to providing guaranteed hours for
12 its employees?
13 A. Sir, you are talking about various countries that have
14 various requirements in that area. There are some
15 countries that have guarantees, there are some that do not,
16 there are some countries where it is a practice to do that,
17 there are some countries where it is not a practice to do
18 that.
19
20 Q. That may or may not be the case. The point is in the USA,
21 for example -- we have already heard about the UK -- there
22 is no guaranteed hours for employees; the employer has the
23 right to set the hours?
24 A. The employee and the manager reach agreement on the
25 number of hours that the employee wants to work. I think
26 there probably has been testimony about the flexibility
27 that we allow our employees to have in setting their hours
28 and changing their hours. So, this is a matter between the
29 manager and the employee.
30
31 Q. But the manager has the power to set the hours, the
32 employee only has the right to ask; is that correct?
33 A. The manager makes out the schedule, and the employee
34 and the manager discuss it and reach agreements on what he
35 or she will work and what he or she will not work.
36
37 Q. If the employee does not like it, they can always leave?
38 A. Absolutely. If they are not happy with their hours,
39 they certainly have that right.
40
41 Q. Or they can get together with other employees in a union
42 and demand guaranteed hours, can they not, as they have
43 done in some countries?
44 A. If employees have a concern, they have a right to get
45 together with or without a union to ask for those things.
46
47 Q. Let me see if there are any more questions about Denmark:
48 When there is a collective agreement covering an industry,
49 whether it is Denmark or another country, where employers'
50 association negotiates with the unions to set a collective
51 agreement, that sets a minimum rate, does it, below which
52 those that have agreed to participate cannot go below but
53 they can pay above?
54 A. That is correct. They can ------
55
56 Q. It is a minimum?
57 A. That is correct. In Denmark, sir, we paid the above
58 the agreement before we reached agreement, the catering
59 agreement, we paid above the catering agreement.
60
