Day 207 - 23 Jan 96 - Page 43


     
     1   MS. STEEL:   Is the number -----
     2
     3   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  As a matter of general interest, do you see
     4        the name of a firm in the answer above?  You need not read
     5        it out.
     6        A.  I do, yes.
     7
     8   Q.   What line of business are they in?
     9        A.  They are in a burger -- they are a burger bar,
    10        basically.  They are a small company who operate two
    11        outlets within Bath.
    12
    13   Q.   Yes, very well.
    14        A.  I think that may be, you know, a matter of taste,
    15        I think.
    16
    17   MS. STEEL:  Can I just ask: in your statement, the bit
    18        about, "I cannot say for certain that the staffing levels
    19        were always exactly what was needed to provide the required
    20        standard of service", just to clarify, are you saying there
    21        that the service was put before -- the service was what
    22        everything was decided upon?
    23        A.  You would staff the restaurant on an hourly basis, so
    24        that you could serve people to the correct standard --
    25
    26   Q.    Do you see on -- sorry.
    27        A.  -- the staff level, staff the restaurant safely, there
    28        is enough, you know, people within the restaurant to serve
    29        the customers.
    30
    31   Q.   Right.  Do you see on page 221 where it says under "Job
    32        image", the fourth question:  "What could be done to make
    33        McDonald's a better place to work?"  It says:  "Less
    34        emphasis on taking money, and more on service".  Do you
    35        remember that comment when you had read these notes?
    36        A.  No, I do not.
    37
    38   Q.   Does it surprise you to see that there?
    39        A.  I think that they have had competitions based on,
    40        service competitions based on hourly records of the tills,
    41        so I think that is why.
    42
    43   Q.   The crew were concerned that they were raking in lots of
    44        money before the service to the customer?
    45
    46   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am not sure you can read it that way.  I
    47        mean, the question is:  "What could be done to make
    48        McDonald's a better place to work?" and the answer we can
    49        read.
    50 
    51   MS. STEEL:   It is just that the Plaintiffs have continued to 
    52        say that it is all set by service, whatever.  The hours, 
    53        the number of staff and duty is set by what they need to
    54        provide.
    55
    56   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I am a bit bothered by this line of
    57        cross-examination, not because there is anything Mr. Henden
    58        should not answer questions about, but it seems to road on
    59        a somewhat false basis.  What is actually being put are
    60        somebody's notes of what one or more people said at a rap

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