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.
         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.
         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