Day 166 - 28 Sep 95 - Page 26
1 A. Yes, I mean -----
2
3 Q. So you divide it into 100 which is, in any event, an easily
4 manageable decimal number?
5 A. Yes, but it certainly was not 100 minutes because it
6 was a 100 digits.
7
8 Q. No, no, it occurred to me that is wrong, but what the
9 decision was -- tell me if this is wrong -- a minute was
10 not refined enough, is it that, or is it your decimal
11 reasons?
12 A. I do not know the honest answer to that. I mean, it is
13 just something when I arrived at the restaurants that was
14 what was in use, later replaced by the time recorder
15 system.
16
17 MS. STEEL: The time recording system is now done in normal
18 minutes, is it?
19 A. Minutes, yes.
20
21 Q. Is that easier for people to follow?
22 A. I imagine so, yes, but I suppose in terms of -- the
23 other system was easy enough and if people had queries with
24 it, obviously I would put them right or anyone would try to
25 put them right. 51 digits was not quite half past but it
26 was on the way towards 25 to.
27
28 Q. So crew did have problems understanding it and had to come
29 to you for explanations?
30 A. I would not say it caused a major problem, but
31 certainly if anyone came to me I would always put them
32 right on it.
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It does not seem that difficult. I can see
35 if you want to multiply the hours at a certain rate by
36 numbers, it is easier to do it on a decimal basis?
37 A. The clock itself was always moving.
38
39 Q. 35.16, as it were, rather than 35 and so many minutes?
40 A. Yes.
41
42 Q. It does mean you go to the second decimal place every time
43 you work out someone's -----
44 A. But then people are getting paid in pence as well, are
45 they not? They are getting more pennies per minute per
46 digit.
47
48 Q. Quite right.
49
50 MS. STEEL: So if someone knew that they had worked for, say,
51 five hours and 23 minutes, or something like that, it might
52 be hard for them to see immediately whether or not the
53 record of their hours worked in 100 units was correct?
54 A. Well, after working there for a while it was not a
55 problem, no. It is like any new job, it is not; you get
56 used to the systems that are -----
57
58 Q. So it took a bit of time to get used to?
59 A. Yes and no.
60
