Day 173 - 16 Oct 95 - Page 32
1 Press release.
2
3 MS. STEEL: This fact sheet, would you agree that it appears to
4 be some kind of calculation of average rates, probably for
5 the purposes of publicity?
6 A. I do not know. I do not know why it was prepared and
7 I do not know who prepared it.
8
9 Q. Looking at the first two sheets, then, the hourly rates of
10 pay are set out for the three months before the strike
11 started, and in quite a lot of cases there are increases in
12 the fourth of the ones that are set out.
13
14 MR. JUSTICE BELL: There are increases in March, some time in
15 March, in a number of them.
16
17 MS. STEEL: If there is an increase -- say, look at the first
18 one for Mr. Mosret (?), the rate goes up, it says 11/3/79,
19 it goes up to 95 pence. Presumably, that would be for the
20 couple of weeks previously?
21 A. Sorry, that the increase would be due for a couple of
22 weeks previous to that? I do not understand your question.
23
24 Q. Are workers paid in arrears, two weeks arrears, in Ireland?
25 A. Yes, two weeks in arrears.
26
27 Q. That pay rise, although it came in on 11/3, it would have
28 had an effect -- well, would it have had an effect for the
29 two weeks prior to that as well, or not?
30 A. I do not know.
31
32 Q. You do not know?
33 A. No.
34
35 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Why not put your point on this, if you have a
36 particular point?
37
38 MS. STEEL: The point is -- I was going to come on to that --
39 the point is that after you received a letter from the
40 union stating that they wanted a meeting with you to
41 represent the workers to -- well, I mean, if you want to
42 check, it is on page 963.
43
44 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Put your suggestion, and then we will see what
45 the answer is, first of all.
46
47 MS. STEEL: After you received this letter and knew that there
48 were rumblings of discontent within the store, you put up
49 the wage rates for the crew?
50 A. Sorry, was that a question?
51
52 Q. Yes.
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: That is a question. It is a suggestion. Is
55 that what happened?
56
57 MS. STEEL: For many of the crew; obviously, not all of them?
58 A. No. The rates of pay increased here for this
59 particular individual. The 90 days probationary period
60 probably came into play, the first raise.
