Day 192 - 27 Nov 95 - Page 06
1 "In that time ownership has changed hands once. It was
2 previously owned by Mr. John Tingle. In February/March of
3 1992 Mr. Cameron Ballantyne bought the store. The store
4 was running quite well after he bought it, for about six
5 months. After that it became miserable for everyone.
6
7 "There were unjust firings, threats of firings, work hours
8 were cut, cheaper staff was hired, verbal and sexual
9 harassment. The workers of McDonald's Orangeville had lost
10 all job respect, dignity and security. People were afraid
11 to come into work because they feared Rob Pinkney, a store
12 manager. Whenever a staff member began their shift, they
13 would always ask 'What kind of mood is Rob in?' Rob's mood
14 would determine the kind of day that you would have at
15 work.
16
17 "In August of 1993 I attempted to organise McDonald's into
18 a union with the SEIU (Service Employees International
19 Union). We began signing people up on August 25, 1993. In
20 about a month we had signed up a majority of workers.
21 Sixty-seven out of one hundred and two employees wanted a
22 union before management found out. The union filed for
23 automatic certification on October 1, 1993. After that
24 chaos broke out.
25
26 "A few days before the notice from the Labour Board was
27 sent to Cam, Nicole Owen, who was originally on my
28 organising committee, told Cam that I and several others
29 were trying to organise. Approximately a week later Nicole
30 received a new position as crew trainer. This is a higher
31 position than crew but lower than that swing management.
32 Employees that have this status receive an extra twenty
33 cents an hour, I believe.
34
35 "As soon as Cam found out about the union he invited day
36 staff into his office one by one to 'chat'. I suspect that
37 he was trying to win people over on to his side. Also
38 during that time period a McDonald's head office personnel
39 lady, called Marion Drummond, was sent down to make sure
40 that relations between the management and crew were calm.
41 This has never happened at McDonald's in the three year
42 period that I have worked there.
43
44 "The weekend after we had filed, individuals that were
45 staff of McDonald's began telephoning people from
46 McDonald's and telling them that Cam knew who had signed
47 cards and that they had better sign a petition against the
48 union if they wanted to stay loyal to Cam.
49
50 "On or about Tuesday, October 5, 1993, Cam held a crew
51 meeting. These events generally consist of McDonald's
52 business, such as rating the managers on their performance,
53 if all of the equipment is running well and the good and
54 bad points about the store. I arrived about fifteen
55 minutes late to this in which I interrupted them talking
56 about the union. Cam was talking about how the store did
57 not need a union because the staff were given paid breaks,
58 two free uniforms and half price food. He also said that
59 McDonald's had two separate benefit packages, one for
60 full-timers and one for part-timers. One lady piped up and