Day 207 - 23 Jan 96 - Page 46


     
     1   Q.   If it is basically they are not getting the hours that they
     2        want to do, either too short or too long, would you accept
     3        that that is a common complaint from crew?
     4        A.  No, if a crew member has a -- is not getting the hours
     5        that they feel they need, I have had them come to me and,
     6        you know, if we can resolve what they consider a problem,
     7        we will resolve it.
     8
     9   MR. MORRIS:  How often does that happen, that people actually do
    10        come to you and say that?  Is that a regular occurrence
    11        then?
    12        A.  I may get someone -- occasionally, I may, while I am
    13        doing the schedule, I get a period where people will work
    14        extra hours during the holiday periods, or may want to come
    15        and get extra hours during the holiday periods, and those
    16        are the majority.
    17
    18   MS. STEEL:  Just on page 253, which is the rap session of
    19        26th September 1995, under "Recruitment and Selection" --
    20        have you got the page?
    21        A.  Yes.
    22
    23   Q.   About a third of the way down it says:  "Very short of
    24        staff, so hiring arms and legs".  Would you accept that the
    25        store was very sort of staff at that time?
    26        A.  What date was this, sorry?
    27
    28   Q.   September 95.
    29        A.  To my knowledge, no.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can you say the date in September because,
    32        bearing in mind what is said about students, that could be
    33        important.
    34
    35   MS. STEEL:  It is on page 249.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  26th September.
    38
    39   MS. STEEL (To the witness):  You do remember times when the
    40        restaurant was short of staff and you had to increase the
    41        pay above what the national guidelines set by the Company
    42        were, do you not, in order to hire people?
    43        A.  We have increased the pay right in order to recruit
    44        more staff, yes.
    45
    46   Q.   Because people were not prepared to work for the normal
    47        rates of pay?
    48        A.  I cannot answer that because we have increased the rate
    49        of pay and we have hired staff.  Prior to that, we were not
    50         -- yes, I suppose we were not hiring staff that we wanted. 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Could you just help me, when it had the 
    53        region average which, in very general terms, the turnover
    54        rate was about half what it was at the Bath restaurant ---
    55        A.  Yes.
    56
    57   Q.   -- what does that region cover?
    58        A.  It will cover, if it is the Midlands regional average,
    59        it will cover basically the Midlands area which will
    60        be  ......

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