Day 151 - 10 Jul 95 - Page 04

     
     1        A.  That is most out of touch?
     2
     3   Q.   The higher up, the more in touch you are.  Presumably, the
     4        lower down you are, the less in touch you are?
     5        A.  No, not at all.  My point, if I believe rightly, in
     6        chief, was to say that the higher one progresses up the
     7        operations hierarchy, the more one needs to be in touch;
     8        and, therefore, although the job might seem, on the face of
     9        it, to be an office based job, it is far from it.  Within
    10        operations, you do spend a relatively high proportion of
    11        time in the restaurants, not as much as the manager.  So
    12        the manager will be more in touch with, I guess, knowing
    13        what is going on in his or her individual restaurant, but
    14        in terms of what is going on in the wider sphere of the
    15        region, then you are right, perhaps will not be as much in
    16        touch.
    17
    18   Q.   When people apply for jobs at McDonald's, do they inquire
    19        into the wage rate they would be getting?
    20        A.  I guess it depends by which means they apply.  If they
         apply through the job centre or through the press, then, as
    22        far as I am aware, it is already stated on the
    23        advertisement; and I guess if they come up on spec to the
    24        manager, I presume they would ask.
    25
    26   Q.   While they are working at McDonald's, it is something that
    27        they check out, the wages they get; they are concerned
    28        about -----
    29        A.  I cannot answer for specific individuals, but I would
    30        have thought that anybody applying for a job, one of the
    31        things that they would check out were the benefits, the
    32        wages, or whatever other remuneration was part of that job.
    33
    34   Q.   You presume?  You do not know, then?
    35        A.  I could safely say I know of nobody who has applied and
    36        started working for any company, that I know, of without
    37        knowing what their wages were going to be.  I can say that
    38        very safely.
    39
    40   Q.   Right.  So it is something that is important to people,
         their wages?
    42        A.  I would suggest yes; anybody, whatever organisation;
    43        the going rate for the job, I guess.
    44
    45   Q.   You said people would not work at less than the starting
    46        rate; they would want to make sure that they are getting
    47        the minimum they are entitled to?
    48        A.  We are talking about McDonald's now?
    49
    50   Q.   Yes. 
    51        A.  Right. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Crew members at McDonald's; they would not want to be
    54        underpaid?
    55        A.  If you ask me whether or not they start below the
    56        starting rate, which was the original question you had, to
    57        my knowledge, I do not think they would start below the
    58        starting rate.
    59
    60   Q.   You said they would refuse to, in your evidence-in-chief;