Day 310 - 04 Dec 96 - Page 26
1 what, in any particular year, the strength of that factor
2 is likely to have been.
3
4 It is true that in all the years that we have examined in
5 this case, despite whatever influence that fact had, or
6 might have had, on the level of wages throughout the
7 catering industry, including McDonald's, the fact is that
8 in each of those years McDonald's wage levels have gone up,
9 partly in the early days, at least, in consequence of the
10 wages reviews(??). Not so, however, to the same extent at
11 all from 1987 onwards.
12
13 That is the first point. The other thing that I would like
14 to say is that although, as I have conceded in my written
15 submission, the number of people who leave McDonald's from
16 dissatisfaction is likely to be greater than the number who
17 actually say so in the reasons for leaving questionnaire,
18 on the evidence in the case, it is still only a minority
19 for this reason, amongst others, that, as one would expect
20 -- and there is evidence of this in Mr. Hendon's evidence,
21 I think it is -- if people do not like it they normally
22 leave within the first four weeks.
23
24 Add to that the consideration that it is for many people a
25 first job and that the flexibility of the hours suits
26 people at certain times of their lives but not others, then
27 one can see very easily -- and that is leaving aside the
28 returnee students, mothers and so on -- how it is that the
29 turnover could be as high as it is. It is a job which
30 somebody in their first job might do for six months because
31 it suited them at the time. They then go off somewhere
32 else, get a more permanent job, perhaps restricted to nine
33 to five, whatever it is, and that is the end of their life
34 at McDonald's.
35
36 If one puts those considerations which are in the evidence
37 against the detail of Bath and Heathrow, one can
38 confidently say, as I have said in my written submission,
39 that dislike of the conditions or poor conditions, poor
40 pay, though they will be a factor for some people, cannot
41 be seen as the principal reason, or even a principal
42 reason, for the high turnover.
43
44 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Well, there may be room for a very real
45 distinction between poor pay and poor conditions in that
46 respect.
47
48 MR. RAMPTON: Yes.
49
50 MR. JUSTICE BELL: That is the matter I will have to grapple
51 with.
52
53 MR. RAMPTON: The final thing is -- I will leave aside poor
54 conditions for the moment, because I have no concerns about
55 that -- if one focuses simply on low pay, one does have to
56 ask the question: if it be a question of fact by what
57 standard is that to be judged?
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
60
