Day 174 - 17 Oct 95 - Page 10

     
     1
     2   Q.   You do not know that for a fact, do you, that that is why
     3        he was expelled -- or, indeed, if he was expelled?
     4        A.  Well -----
     5
     6   Q.   That is what you were told by somebody else?
     7        A.  I can only go by what Mr. Mullen told me.
     8
     9   Q.   But, of course, James Macken had been critical of
    10        Mr. Mullen, had he not?
    11        A.  I guess he had.
    12
    13   Q.   And Mr. Mullen had commented on that to you, as you have
    14        said, did he not?
    15        A.  Yes.
    16
    17   Q.   Right.  So, for all you know, there could have been some
    18        other reason why Mr. Macken was expelled from the union, if
    19        he was expelled from the union?
    20        A.  That could have been.  I do not know the business of
         what happened between the two.
    22
    23   Q.   You said here: "The ITGWU accepted my decision with regard
    24        to James Macken."  So it was your decision not to re-employ
    25        him?
    26        A.  When I say "my decision", it was my decision that I did
    27        not want him back in my employment, considering his actions
    28        and his whole demeanour.
    29
    30   Q.   The reality is that you did not want him back because he
    31        was the most prominent and most determined of all the union
    32        activists in the strike?
    33        A.  No.  I did not want him back because he was not a good
    34        employee while he was at work; he proved that he was
    35        totally irresponsible by his actions on the picket line.
    36
    37   MS. STEEL:  Is it correct that Jimmy Macken was given nothing in
    38        writing about his dismissal?
    39        A.  I cannot recall whether he was or he was not.
    40
    Q.   He had been a perfectly satisfactory employee before the
    42        dispute started, had he not?
    43        A.  No.
    44
    45   Q.   He was on a rate of £1.20 an hour?
    46        A.  Yes.  If that is what his rate was, that is what his
    47        rate was, but it does not indicate that he was a perfectly
    48        good employee.
    49
    50   Q.   Do you give pay rises to employees that are no good? 
    51        A.  No. 
    52 
    53   Q.   So that they are above the rate of the other crew?
    54        A.  No.  I cannot recall why he was at that rate of pay
    55        but, from memory, he was not a good employee.
    56
    57   Q.   Had he ever faced any disciplinary action?
    58        A.  I cannot recall.
    59
    60   Q.   What other reason could there be for him being on £1.20 an