Day 189 - 20 Nov 95 - Page 20
1 A. It is, yes. They are photocopied on to two sheets, but
2 there are three pages of the original -----
3
4 Q. Letter?
5 A. Yes.
6
7 Q. The one below that, what is that dated?
8 A. 2/7.
9
10 Q. 1993?
11 A. Yes.
12
13 Q. That is two pages, is it?
14 A. Yes.
15
16 Q. Let me just read it out, and then see if you agree with
17 that statement as evidence:
18
19 "Speaking from my own experience, I was involved in an
20 industrial dispute for trade union recognition here in
21 Dublin. The dispute lasted seven months, which alone is a
22 sign of the total reluctance of the company to negotiate.
23 This dispute was in 1979, at which time I was an employee
24 of McDonald's."
25
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can you read the next -- "wages at", and
27 could you read the next line very slowly?
28
29 MR. MORRIS: OK.
30
31 THE WITNESS: "Wages at that time were pitiful, low, and after a
32 40 hour week which included" -----
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: No, no. Just pause a moment. Mr. Morris
35 can carry on reading now. Thank you.
36
37 MR. MORRIS: Just wait to the end, and I will ask you a
38 question.
39
40 " ... and after a 40 hour week which included working late
41 hours, I received £26 a week into my hand after taxes",
42 etcetera.
43 A. Yes.
44
45 Q. "My wage was 64 pence an hour"?
46 A. It was actually 80, but that is kind of more or less
47 what I ended up with.
48
49 Q. Do you mean that is after tax, then?
50 A. Yes, about that, yes, about 64 pence or so.
51
52 Q. "On return to work, I was subject to a number of
53 accusations by management which included being drunk and
54 loitering with the intent of attempting to steal from a
55 locker room."
56 A. Yes.
57
58 Q. We will come to this a bit later; I just want to read this
59 in one go. "After such blatant intimidation, I soon left
60 the employment there. In other cases -- two to be
