Day 180 - 31 Oct 95 - Page 29


     
     1   Q.   Yes.  Well, at the moment, I do not see why one should
     2        exclude item 1, if that is one's objective.  There we are.
     3        A.  Well, even if one continues to include item 1, I think
     4        to analyse these figures based on, if you like, known
     5        specific reasons, work-related reasons, for departure, it
     6        is more helpful for an employer to understand why people
     7        are leaving, in terms of the work experience, working at
     8        the company; and if you do that, then the ratios on job
     9        dissatisfaction and other factors to do with -- on the
    10        satisfaction area.  So it does become somewhat more
    11        significant, because you are dealing with a clearer
    12        population to analyse.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  Can I just ask you, if, as we have heard,
    15        McDonald's turnover in the winter of 1989/90 was something
    16        like 190 per cent, which is something like five times or
    17        more what you described as the already high turnover in
    18        that section of industry, restaurants, based on these
    19        figures, how would you view McDonald's stated view that it
    20        is all down to people leaving and coming back to college,
    21        which is what they have put forward in -----
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No.
    24
    25   MR. RAMPTON:  It is absolutely hopeless, with respect.
    26
    27   MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am sorry.  I am not going to allow to put
    28        that question, because that just does not accord with the
    29        evidence.  We have had all sorts of other reasons why
    30        people come and go, apart from going to school; mothers of
    31        children, and everything like that.  It is just not
    32        helpful.
    33
    34   MR. MORRIS:  It was all, basically, for McDonald's, a load of
    35        waffle.  The reason is that people are just dissatisfied.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL: As far as I am concerned, any answer to the
    38        questions you put will be on a completely false premise
    39        and, therefore, will not help me.
    40
    41   MR. MORRIS:  If this is McDonald's own information -- it is the
    42        only information we have been provided with, and we have
    43        been provided with all relevant documents, apparently --
    44        they would not be able to justify such high turnover, would
    45        they, such phenomenally high turnover, with the fact that
    46        people are going back to college or school, based on this
    47        information, which is the Company information?
    48        A.  No.  I mean, I understand the point you are making. It
    49        is statistically impossible to answer that question, based
    50        on the information in this table or in the rest of this 
    51        particular document, my Lord.  It is impossible to draw 
    52        general conclusions as to the reasons for turnover, and if 
    53        you take out -- and to attribute it -- to attribute high
    54        turnover from these figures in this particular table, to
    55        attribute high turnover to the one in five returning to
    56        school, obviously, cannot be held up.
    57
    58        This is an exit interview survey; and, from this, it is
    59        impossible to sustain the position that high turnover is
    60        due to students going back to school.

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