Day 149 - 06 Jul 95 - Page 45
1 them without going back to the figures which we want." What
2 would you say about that situation? Do you actually
3 positively want the turnover figures, or are you just
4 saying you are unhappy about accepting what the Plaintiffs
5 have put forward?
6
7 MS. STEEL: No. I actually think they are a relevant issue,
8 and I think that we should be provided with the
9 information. The leaflet talks about conditions and
10 turnover in general, and the fact that there is high
11 turnover meaning it is hard to unionise the stores.
12 I think they are entirely relevant. I do not think there
13 is a huge amount of paper work involved. I do not see any
14 reason why they should not be disclosed.
15
16 MR. MORRIS: Just one thing related to that whole area was that
17 turnover does relate to training if, as the
18 Plaintiffs -- it relates to the whole issue of training and
19 the reasons for leaving are important. No doubt, our
20 witnesses will have things to say about the reasons for
21 leaving and their views on why people leave. There was a
22 general point thrown up by Mr. Rampton about whether, who
23 really cares about the turnover and the reasons for leaving
24 anyway, and what conclusions can we draw?
25
26 I think the Plaintiffs have said, anyway, why does the
27 turnover -- it does not relate to dissatisfaction. The UK
28 documents only show something like 20 per cent of people
29 leaving to go back to college, which is their evidence.
30 I know the documents said that, but their witness verified
31 it, which means that 80 per cent are not going back to
32 college.
33
34 Regarding Mr. Beavers, it seemed to us that Mr. Beavers had
35 a great deal more experience in operations matters and
36 running stores and being an area supervisor, and all the
37 other things he had done, than Mr. Stein. So I am much
38 more inclined to believe Mr. Beavers than Mr. Stein.
39
40 The beef suppliers issue: the document we have is 1995
41 that we have just been given. That is not what we asked
42 for. The documents that we have been given postdate 1988
43 as regards the Civil Evidence Act notices on forms filled
44 out by suppliers.
45
46 MR. JUSTICE BELL: The position is that I have ruled on that,
47 and the question is whether they, the Plaintiffs, have done
48 what I have ruled they should do ---
49
50 MR. MORRIS: Yes.
51
52 MR. JUSTICE BELL: -- to an extent which leaves me satisfied on
53 the subject.
54
55 MR. MORRIS: The list from the World Wildlife Fund
56 correspondence list, there is absolutely no indication that
57 they are a complete list of all suppliers. In fact,
58 effectively, they cannot be, because the evidence given in
59 court by Mr. Beavers was something like there were 170 odd
60 suppliers of patties at that time in the early to
