Day 120 - 03 May 95 - Page 02

     
     1                                      Wednesday, 3rd May 1995.
     2
     3                  MR. SIDNEY THOMAS NICHOLSON, continued.
     4               Cross-examined by the Defendants, continued.
     5
     6   MR. MORRIS:  Mr. Nicholson, can you tell us what you think trade
     7        unions are for, what their role is in society?
     8        A.  I think, in certain industries, to represent the
     9        interests of the workers.
    10
    11   Q.   Are some industries exempt from workers union
    12        representation?
    13        A.  No, I think there are other forms of representation.
    14
    15   Q.   Do trade unions represent their members at tribunals; is
    16        that one of their services they -----
    17        A.  I believe so.
    18
    19   Q.   Can you think of other things that they do?
    20        A.  Negotiate wages, conditions of service, involve
    21        themselves in politics, support the Labour Party.
    22
    23   Q.   Provide information to their members about their rights; do
    24        they do that?
    25        A.  I would accept they probably do that in some cases.
    26        I really do not know a great deal about trade unions.
    27
    28   Q.   Would you accept that union meetings can be a forum for
    29        discussion amongst workers?
    30        A.  I should imagine so.  I have never attended one.
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you know because ---
    33        A.  No, I do not.
    34
    35   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  -- one thing that alarms me about this case
    36        is the number of times something has been suggested and the
    37        witness, trying to be helpful, said:  "I should imagine
    38        so", and then, I fear, it is then assumed by the questioner
    39        that has become evidence of a state of fact.  If must have
    40        happened a thousand times in the last nine months if it has
         happened once.
    42
    43        I am not urging you to say you do not know, but if you do
    44        not know, if you have never been to a union meeting, never
    45        had anyone in authority tells you what goes on at union
    46        meetings, do not hesitate to say so.
    47        A.  I have never attended a union meeting, so I really do
    48        not know what goes on in a union meeting.
    49
    50   MR. MORRIS:  Do you have links with your counterparts -- when 
    51        you were Head of Personnel, did you have links with your 
    52        counterparts in other countries? 
    53        A.  The Heads of McDonald's Personnel Departments?
    54
    55   Q.   Yes.
    56        A.  Oh, certainly.
    57
    58   Q.   In some countries there are trade union members and trade
    59        union, in fact, agreements with McDonald's, are there not?
    60        A.  Certainly.