Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 64


     
     1        do at any time?
     2        A.  I am intrigued as to what you think is in it for us in
     3        terms of under-staffing.
     4
     5   Q.   What is in it for you is greater profit, is not?
     6        A.  If we under-staff we are not going to be able to serve
     7        our customers as well as we would like.  If we do not serve
     8        them as well as the Company would like, then they do not
     9        come back.  Really, it is in our interests to make sure we
    10        have the appropriate number of employees so that customers
    11        can be looked after properly.  It is of no interest to us
    12        at all in under-staffing.
    13
    14   Q.   It is in your interests to make your workers work as fast
    15        as possible so that you continue making large amounts of
    16        profit?
    17        A.  Rubbish!  It in our interests to make sure that our
    18        workers are happy, that they work at the appropriate rate,
    19        yes, that their business is run efficiently, hat our
    20        customers are happy and they keep coming back; what is
    21        more, that our employees are happy.  Nobody wants employees
    22        to be either unhappy at work because they do not work
    23        effectively or to leave on a frequent basis.  We certainly
    24        want our customers to be happy and keep coming back.
    25
    26   Q.   Have you issued any memos or put any reports you have ever
    27        written about the concern of the Company's focus on
    28        employment of young people?  I think it is something like
    29        75 per cent under 21 in terms of the effect that might have
    30        on safety matters, being not very experienced people?
    31        A.  That is partly why we put them through such a
    32        comprehensive training programme.  Is there anything
    33        specifically you are thinking of there, a particular risk
    34        they would be at because they are 16 to 21?
    35
    36   Q.   They are young and inexperienced?
    37        A.  So that is why we train them.
    38
    39   Q.   So you train them because you recognise that because they
    40        are young and inexperienced, working in a potentially
    41        hazardous environment, they would need additional training
    42        to do some other job which did not have the same hazard?
    43        A.  No, I do not agree at all with what you said.  We train
    44        them because we recognise that for a lot of them it is
    45        their very first job.  We believe our training system is
    46        designed to take, well, any 16 year old or 18 year old and
    47        train them up to do a job responsibly and well and in a way
    48        that fulfills them.
    49
    50   Q.   So you have no concerns on the predominance of young people 
    51        working in a hazardous kitchen environment? 
    52        A.  I would not say that ----- 
    53
    54   Q.   You feel that could not be dealt with by additional
    55        training?
    56        A.  I would not say the kitchen environment is hazardous.
    57        Yes, it has its hazards, as we have discussed, but it is
    58        not inherently dangerous, as you seem to be inferring.
    59        They are trained to do their job.  The dangers are pointed
    60        out to them.  They are told how they can keep themselves

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