name: | Tom Jenssen |
section: | Employment |
for: | The Defence |
experience: | McDonald's worker and Union Representative |
summary:
The witness gives an informed view of McDonald's anti-union sentiments as a worker and an area union rep in Norway
cv:
Not available for this witness
Full cv:
(not available for this witness)
full statement:
I have Since december 1993 been the head union representative of McDonald's
Nedre Slottsgt 21, I'm also a representative in the Oslo Hotell- og
Restaurantpersonaletsforening, a part of the HRAF that organize some 1300
members in the Oslo area. I have worked at the MeDonald's in Nedre Slottsgt.
21 in Oslo for six years Since summer l988,
The agreement between McDonald's and the HRAF was not easily reached and after all the diffrent rounds of negotiations that norwegian law describes before workers can legally strike an agreement had still not been reached. The workers and the HRAF therefore prepared to strike. The was some interest in the situation from the press as most norwegians consider an agreement between workers and management as something uncontroversia1 and essential to secure workers their rights. The agreement between the HRAF and McDonald's was reached the day before the strike was sheduled to start after newspapers had reported that during a strike almost no deliveries or services would be given to a restaurant with picketlines outside.
The newspapers also wrote that minors had worked durhig the night in some of the resturants. Theo Holm of McDonald's has said that this only happened a few times but this is not the case, I myself worked until 23.30 or even until twelwe while I was only sixteen. If you are under 18 you may not work later than 2300. I worked almost every saturday night for over a year. McDonald's claims that since they obtained permission from the parents this was not illegal but the law gives no allowance for parents to have any say in the matter.
Personally I was banned from the restaurant during non-working hours in the weeks before the agreement was reached.
About one month after the agreement was signed HRAF found out that McDonalds had moved all stocks that was our restaurant from a company called Zero-Fivell A/S to one called McDonald's Norway A/S. The agreement wich was signed was therefore not legally valid because Theo Holm signed an agreement between Zero-Fivell A/S and HRAF.
All in all I must say that McDonalds have been hostile towards HRAF and towards the members of the union. .
The contents of this statement are to the best of my knowledge true.
date signed: | Not Dated |
status: | Appeared in court |
exhibits: Not applicable/ available
transcripts of court appearances:
related links: