Day 121 - 04 May 95 - Page 22


     
     1
     2   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am not sure -----
     3
     4   MR. MORRIS:  I cannot remember.
     5
     6   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am not sure he has accepted anything is
     7        inappropriate, except for the 50 hours, if that was
     8        happening on more than exceptional occasions?
     9        A.  That is the only one that surprises me.
    10
    11   MR. MORRIS:  Whatever, we can go back over it another time.  In
    12        your opinion, the practices as we have looked at ---
    13        A.  Do not concern me.
    14
    15   Q.   -- do not concern you, and if they were happening in all
    16        the stores in the country it would not concern you?
    17        A.  It would not concern me.
    18
    19   Q.   Apart from the 50 hours?
    20        A.  I am surprised at the 50 hours.
    21
    22   Q.   Right.  Do you think there was room for improvement at that
    23        store?
    24        A.  No, there is not enough in here to tell me what the
    25        store is being run like.  He has dealt with specific
    26        problems, and I am not surprised, and I have no objection
    27        to the way they apparently have been dealt with.  I mean,
    28        even him saying they work 50 hours, I would accept there
    29        were reasons for it.  I am surprised that anyone was asked
    30        to work 50 hours.
    31
    32   Q.   So?
    33        A.  But nothing in there says to me there is anything wrong
    34        in that store or that store management.
    35
    36   Q.   So those kind of things then are happening, are they,
    37        throughout most stores?
    38        A.  I do not know what you are talking about.  What kind of
    39        things?
    40
    41   Q.   Breaks being shortened; people being sent home before they
    42        are scheduled?
    43        A.  He said it was extremely rare and mostly concerned
    44        floor managers.  That does not concern me.
    45
    46   Q.   People being sent home?
    47        A.  He said that was very rare.  That does not concern me.
    48
    49   Q.   But people being asked to stay on after their scheduling?
    50        A.  Again he said that was very rare.  That does not 
    51        concern me because I know it happens and is normally dealt 
    52        with by volunteers, people who want to work overtime.  That 
    53        does not concern me.
    54
    55   Q.   Colchester in 1987, are you aware, was voted Store of the
    56        Year?
    57        A.  I read that in his statement.  I did not know.
    58
    59   Q.   So -----
    60        A.  I probably knew in 1987 but I have forgotten now.

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