Day 150 - 07 Jul 95 - Page 21


     
     1
     2   Q.   Is that a very common problem, that people are coming back
     3        after ----
     4        A.  I have not come across personally a three year gap.
     5        I mean, certainly a year maybe as they go off to do some
     6        academic work, but certainly not three years; not in my
     7        experience.
     8
     9   Q.   Would you expect to know if the system was not working
    10        well?
    11        A.  People would tell me.  Crew and managers and crew
    12        especially would tell me, believe me.
    13
    14   Q.   Can I just ask you a question about overtime?  We have
    15        heard that, at least in this country, overtime is not
    16        paid.  What would you say to somebody who said, "That is
    17        rather unfair because there are people who are working
    18        hours in the evening; there are people who may be doing an
    19        all night close", what do you say to the suggestion that it
    20        is unfair?
    21        A.  Well, I would point to the fact, probably, that we have
    22         -- we had at that stage, anyway, three different rates,
    23        what we called a regular rate, I think, which from 7.00 in
    24        the morning until 7 p.m..  I think we had an evening rate
    25        from 7.00 till midnight.  I am not too sure, but I think it
    26        was about midnight.  Then from -----
    27
    28   Q.   This is not a memory test ---
    29        A.  Sorry, anyway, then from midnight to 7 a.m.
    30
    31   Q.   -- 11 o'clock in the evening?
    32        A.  Yes, sorry, yes.  We would have a premium rate for
    33        those hours back up until again 7 o'clock in the morning
    34        when the regular hours would start again.  So, I mean,
    35        there are three distinct rates is what I would point out to
    36        people.
    37
    38   Q.   Do you think that is fair compensation for the absence of
    39        overtime?
    40        A.  I would speak from personal -- having worked as a crew
    41        member, then to me that seemed a suitable system to have.
    42        It was a very good system.
    43
    44   Q.   Thank you.  We have talked a little bit about turnover
    45        anyway, but if we can now turn in depth to the subject of
    46        turnover at McDonald's stores and again speaking from your
    47        experience.  If someone comes along and suggests to you
    48        that the higher the turnover, the better as far as
    49        McDonald's, the Company, are concerned, or as you
    50        personally as the Manager is concerned, then what do you 
    51        say about that? 
    52        A.  But that is not what running a restaurant is about.  As 
    53        I mentioned beforehand, it is far better to have people
    54        working for you who are fully trained up.  If I took the
    55        argument or the discussion previously, with having somebody
    56        come back who is fully trained up in preference to somebody
    57        who is brand new, well, if it is an advantage for me in
    58        that limited case, that 10 per cent, if I had the whole of
    59        my payroll on high turnover and I was changing people every
    60        five minutes, then I would be spending more time training.

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