Day 117 - 27 Apr 95 - Page 21


     
     1
     2   Q.   Then it says:  "The Wages Council has recommended increases
     3        in minimum rates of pay for all hourly paid employees with
     4        effect from 11th June 1990.  Accordingly, the Company has
     5        increased the rates of pay for all hourly paid workers to
     6        the level shown on the attached chart to come into effect
     7        by Sunday, 3rd June or Sunday, 1990, dependent upon the pay
     8        week of the store.  You will note that the crew rate is for
     9        all age groups in Inner and Outer London".
    10
    11        Then this:  "It is recognised that certain areas outside
    12        Inner and Outer London have recruiting difficulties similar
    13        to those experienced in Inner and Outer London.  These key
    14        areas may apply to Regional Managers to adopt the rates
    15        paid in Outer or Inner London as appropriate.  After
    16        consultation with the Chief Operations Officer, Regional
    17        Managers may authorise the adoption of the appropriate
    18        rate.  It must be noted that no pay scale other than the
    19        three shown in the chart issued be used".  That reflects
    20        what you were telling us earlier, as I understood it?
    21        A.  Yes.
    22
    23   Q.   My question is this, was this the first time that
    24        consideration had been given to the recruiting difficulties
    25        of some of the big provincial centres?
    26        A.  Yes.
    27
    28   Q.   Then on the next page, 682, we see the rates set out in
    29        tabular form ---
    30        A.  Yes.
    31
    32   Q.   -- for that year.  I am not going to go any further
    33        forwards in time, Mr. Nicholson.  Anybody can read; the
    34        scheme is now clear.   My final question on this aspect of
    35        the case is this:  You were in the Police an awful long
    36        time, 40 years or something, was it?
    37        A.  31!
    38
    39   Q.   You have been, in one capacity or another, in the catering
    40        industry for the last 12 years?
    41        A.  12 years -- my 13th year.
    42
    43   Q.   Do you have any sense for the work that they do, whether
    44        they be 18 plus or 16 or 17 years of age, and the hours
    45        they work, your crew members are being under paid?
    46        A.  No, they are not being under paid.  They are being paid
    47        a wage commensurate with the high street, the industry, and
    48        the total package, I believe, puts them way at the top of
    49        that kind of league.
    50 
    51   Q.   I am not asking you for details.  Do you know whether your 
    52        competitors provide the same kind of opportunities for 
    53        obtaining awards, increases and so on that you do?
    54        A.  I think our competitors do not; some other institutions
    55        on the high street may have good comparable, but the
    56        competitors in the industry are not anything like as
    57        generous with their conditions of service as we are.
    58
    59   Q.   Thank you.  Close the file, I think, probably for the
    60        moment because it is more convenient.  You will need it

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