Day 145 - 29 Jun 95 - Page 20

     
     1        Thomas Lantos, of California following a Department of
     2        Labour sweep in the March previous to that which uncovered
     3        more than 15,000 Child Labour Law violations in the service
     4        industry?
     5        A.  An executive -- namely me -- testified before that
     6        Committee, yes.
     7
     8   Q.   Were there other executives apart from yourself?
     9        A.  From McDonald's.
    10
    11   Q.   Yes.
    12        A.  No.
    13
    14   Q.   You testified because you are the best person in the
    15        Company to speak about this issue?
    16        A.  That is correct.
    17
    18   Q.   Is it the case that you said that you have never terminated
    19        a franchise contract over child labour law violations even
    20        though there had been violations?
         A.  I cannot repeat the exact words, but the gist of that
    22        is correct.
    23
    24   Q.   That you cited constraints in the current franchise laws
    25        and terms of your franchise contracts?
    26        A.  That is correct.
    27
    28   Q.   Is it true that Mr. Lantos had admonished four fast-food
    29        corporate executives, including Burger King, Dominoes,
    30        Pizza and Little Ceaser Enterprises Corporation for not
    31        improving company policies to better protect young workers?
    32        A.  It was not McDonald's.  They did not criticise
    33        McDonald's.
    34
    35   Q.   No, I am assuming -- McDonald's, Burger King, Dominoe,
    36        Pizza and Little Ceaser -----
    37        A.  No, we were not criticised.  The others who had
    38        committed serious child labour violations were criticised.
    39        Congressman Martinez who was on this panel, as a matter of
    40        fact, made a very strong point to Mr. Lantos that
         McDonald's are the good guys here.  They are the folks that
    42        do not violate the law.  Take a look at the Burger King
    43        people and the other people there.  Those are the people
    44        you should be directing your attention to.
    45
    46   Q.   OK.  Let us go through some specifics then.  I will go
    47        through this in the order I have it; it is not necessarily
    48        the most efficient order:  Do you know of a report issued
    49        by the Chicago based National Safe Workplace
    50        Institute -- sorry, do you know the National Safe Workplace 
    51        Institute in Chicago? 
    52        A.  Boy! 
    53
    54   Q.   Have you heard of it?
    55        A.  No, I do not recall hearing of that.
    56
    57   Q.   Do you know of a report, of any report, issued by them in
    58        1992 about the lax enforcement of Child Labour Laws which
    59        officials of McDonald's Corporation disputed?
    60        A.  Boy!  I sure do not recall that.