Day 168 - 03 Oct 95 - Page 21


     
     1   Q.   They might appeal against it?
     2        A.  Again they can appeal against it, yes.
     3
     4   Q.   If they appeal against it, they have to have a meeting with
     5        the Supervisor, do they?
     6        A.  If they appeal against it, they appeal directly through
     7        the Personnel Department now.  The appeal used to be
     8        through the Supervisor but it is now through the Personnel
     9        Department.
    10
    11   Q.   So, if someone is dismissed on their performance, these
    12        procedures are the policy, are they, to go through these
    13        steps rather than ------
    14        A.  They are policy, yes.
    15
    16   Q.   Right.  Do you really take all those steps?
    17        A.  Well, yes, it is policy.
    18
    19   Q.   Even though it is time consuming?
    20        A.  Yes, we do do it, yes.
    21
    22   Q.   It is much easier, is it not, just to reduce their
    23        hours  -----
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are you actually making -----
    26
    27   MR. MORRIS:  I am making my case now.
    28
    29   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If you are, put a positive suggestion.
    30
    31   MR. MORRIS:  I am going to. (To the witness):  It is much
    32        easier, is it not, just to reduce someone's hours or give
    33        them unsocial hours or discriminate against them in some
    34        way so that they just leave?
    35        A.  No, it is not, because you invested time, effort and
    36        money in training that person and hiring that person, and
    37        it is a complete waste of resources to try to get rid of
    38        them.
    39
    40   Q.   But if you wanted to, if you thought somebody basically was
    41        not up to it for whatever reason, because of their attitude
    42        or their work speed or ability, or whatever it was, it
    43        would be much easier, would it not, if they just left; if
    44        you said to them:  "You are not really suitable for this
    45        job", and they said:  "Fair enough" ----
    46        A.  Well, no, but we do not though, we do not say:  "You
    47        are not just suitable" and they leave, because if they
    48        leave we would have to replace them.
    49
    50   Q.   If you wanted to get rid of somebody anyway, it would be 
    51        much easier not to have to go through all the formal 
    52        stages, would it not? 
    53        A.  Well, I assume it would be, yes, but the fact is we do
    54        go through the formal stages.
    55
    56   Q.   The reality is, is it not, Mr. Richards, that at some of
    57        these management meetings names of employees that were not
    58        pulling their weight and contributing to store progress,
    59        were not keeping up or coming up to scratch or answering
    60        back or whatever, were discussed -- what happened to them

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