Day 116 - 26 Apr 95 - Page 28


     
     1   Q.   -- about crew turnover figures ---
     2        A.  Yes.
     3
     4   Q.   -- and the reasons for them, so I will, if I may, leave
     5        that to her.  I would like to invite your attention to one
     6        feature.  It may be a feature of that topic.  Have you got
     7        your volume XI there still?  We can stay with this ----
     8
     9   MR. MORRIS:  Is volume XII finished with for the moment?
    10
    11   MR. RAMPTON:  Yes, it is.  (To the witness):  Turn back to that
    12        Crew Handbook for 1989, please, which is tab 3.
    13        A.  Yes.
    14
    15   Q.   And to page 116 ---
    16        A.  Yes.
    17
    18   Q.   -- which is headed, I hope:  "Working Hours", yes?
    19        A.  Yes.
    20
    21   Q.   You notice at the bottom -- this is in the days of, well,
    22        I do not know whether it changed on introduction of the
    23        swipe card, but it refers to clock cards -- working hours,
    24        it says:  "Flexibility:  One of your many benefits at
    25        McDonald's is flexibility in work schedules.  At the time
    26        you are hired, you should set up a work schedule that fits
    27        in with your college, family, or outside activity demands.
    28        When this schedule needs to be changed, let your Manager
    29        know at least one week in advance, so that your request
    30        would be honoured whenever possible.  Simply record it in
    31        the Request Book.  Management has the right to change
    32        schedules".
    33
    34        That is all very fine, Mr. Nicholson, as a statement of
    35        principle and it speaks for itself.  The question I want to
    36        ask you is, does it work in practice?
    37        A.  Fairly well.  Fairly well.
    38
    39   Q.   The whole system, I meant, the system of ---
    40        A.  Yes.
    41
    42   Q.   -- flexible hours?
    43        A.  Yes, flexible hours.  Flexible hours works extremely
    44        well.  Generally, Managers do manage to accommodate the
    45        requests of the hourly paid workers.
    46
    47   Q.   So, if I suddenly said after my schedule had been set for
    48        the next week:  "I want to go to the doctor" or "It is my
    49        aunt's birthday" or something like that, could I reasonably
    50        expect that you would accommodate my request? 
    51        A.  Something like:  "I want to go and see the doctor", 
    52        almost certainly.  Whether or not they would be so 
    53        accommodating for your aunt's birthday begs the question.
    54
    55   Q.   How much discretion is allowed to the Managers of the
    56        stores in these matters?
    57        A.  Quite a considerable amount of discretion.
    58
    59   Q.   If an employee got fed up with a particular Manager,
    60        thought that for one reason or another he or she was being

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