Day 119 - 02 May 95 - Page 54


     
     1        unhappiness.  (To the witness):  Do you know of any
     2        system?
     3
     4   MR. MORRIS:  This is when you were Head of Personnel?
     5        A.  Yes, if it came through the rap sessions, the local
     6        supervisory team would pick that up or the local Field
     7        Service Officer would pick that up.  There is no formal
     8        gathering of information, but it is reported.  It is picked
     9        up by the appropriate department and they will deal with
    10        it.  If it begins a trend, then we would have a look at a
    11        wider field.
    12
    13   MR. MORRIS:  But Head Office would not know what the trends were
    14        because they do not get the information direct, do they?
    15        A.  Yes, the Field Personnel Officer is from Head Office.
    16        The Supervisor is based at Head Office.
    17
    18   Q.   So the Field Service Officers will be picking up
    19        trends  ---
    20        A.  Yes.
    21
    22   Q.   -- or grievances?
    23        A.  They get all rap session notes.
    24
    25   Q.   So could you give me an outline then of what the main
    26        trends when you were Head of Personnel were for grievances?
    27
    28   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Were there main trends, particular trends?
    29        A.  It is five years ago now.  I cannot think of any
    30        offhand.  If you give me a couple of days, I could probably
    31        do some research, pick some up, but there are none that
    32        springs to my mind.
    33
    34   MR. MORRIS:  But there were trends identified, were there?
    35        A.  There may well have been by Field Personnel Officers,
    36        but they are empowered to deal with them.  They can correct
    37        them before it gets out of their region.  They can correct
    38        them.  That is what they are there for.
    39
    40   Q.   You are Ombudsman at the moment, are you not?
    41        A.  Yes.
    42
    43   Q.   How many disputes that have been unresolved in the Company,
    44        as you have defined your role ---
    45        A.  Can I -----
    46
    47   Q.   -- have you had to deal with?
    48        A.  Can I take advice here?  The work of the Ombudsman is
    49        extremely confidential.  No-one but the person making the
    50        complaint -- in numbers, I could give numbers. 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I know Neill LJ made comment about entitled 
    53        to look for support by cross-examination, amongst other
    54        things, but you had to have something to hang your hat on
    55        by Neill LJ's test.
    56
    57   MR. MORRIS:  We have 40 witnesses, many with grievances, many
    58        that have -----
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Right.  Show me what it is that you are

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