Day 154 - 13 Jul 95 - Page 25


     
     1        year.
     2
     3   MR. MORRIS:  So in the summer months the numbers at the basic
     4        starting rate would go up, would they, is that what you are
     5        saying?
     6        A.  Probably through the -- if we hired people in the
     7        summer holidays for the busy period during the summer
     8        holidays, then there would be more people on the starting
     9        rate, yes.
    10
    11   Q.   Would you say usually it was about a quarter then, or
    12        something like that?
    13        A.  It would vary.  I mean, say, for instance, we had not
    14        any leavers for a month or two, then it may be less than a
    15        quarter.  It is solely dependent on the amount of people we
    16        had hired who had not had a pay review.
    17
    18   Q.   But as an average over the year, of how many at any one
    19        time would be on the starting rate?
    20        A.  Yes.
    21
    22   Q.   Obviously, sometimes it might go up to a third, sometimes
    23        it was a quarter, what would it average out at, just as a
    24        rough, so that we have something we can build on?
    25        A.  Eighth to a quarter, at a guess.
    26
    27   Q.   But, of course, the people on the starting rate would be
    28        the people who had the highest turnover anyway, would they
    29        not, because people that do not stay long -- if you are on
    30        the starting rate, you would be on that starting rate at
    31        least until your first pay review which would be
    32        approximately four and a half months after you start, will
    33        it not?
    34        A.  That is right, yes.
    35
    36   Q.   When you might get a five pence increase if you pass your
    37        pay review?
    38        A.  Unless we gave a merit rise before that occasion.
    39
    40   Q.   Occasionally that would happen, would it?
    41        A.  Yes.
    42
    43   Q.   But not generally -----
    44
    45   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But that is counter productive to your case,
    46        is it not, because you are swapping one person on the basic
    47        rate for another on a basic rate, so the proportion on the
    48        basic rate will stay the same, if that is so.
    49
    50   MR. MORRIS:  I do not know.  I do not believe the figures that 
    51        have been given anyway, but it seems to me that that is 
    52        exactly my point, yes, because over a period of a year it 
    53        is a much greater percentage than what you now claim is an
    54        eighth to a quarter, up to a third ---
    55
    56   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What Mr. Morris is ---
    57
    58   MR. MORRIS:  -- of staff would have been there.
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  -- putting to you, it would not vary much

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