Day 195 - 04 Dec 95 - Page 13


     
     1        records."   Where did you see the records?
     2        A.  The records of per cent staff, staffing percentages was
     3        on a chart which was stuck on a wall above where the
     4        Managers worked downstairs in the back room.
     5
     6   Q.   "I was also told by the Managers, but I am not entirely
     7        sure that I remember correctly, that the target set for the
     8        store was 17 per cent.  I learned from management, in the
     9        course of time, that the lower they pushed their staff
    10        costs as a proportion of the sales the more praise they got
    11        from Head Office.
    12
    13        In my store, they had electronic tills.  At any time of the
    14        day a printout could be obtained from these tills which
    15        contained information about volume and value of sales.  So
    16        that sales and labour costs could be monitored accurately.
    17        Management used to obtain a printout at the end of the day
    18        and calculate their manning levels in that way daily.
    19
    20        There was definitely a great deal of pressure on the store
    21        to keeping staff levels low.  This was plainly obvious from
    22        the fact that Managers were generally happy on days when
    23        they had managed to keep their staff costs low compared to
    24        turnover."   That is sales turnover, is it?
    25        A.  Yes, that is sales.
    26
    27   Q.   "... and were generally unhappy on days when the staff
    28        costs had been high compared to turnover.
    29
    30        Management often used to send people home early, sometimes
    31        as much as two or four hours early.  This would occur where
    32        the store would go unexpectedly quiet and management had
    33        plainly become worried that their turnover/salary ratio
    34        would be poor for that day.  Most people were quite happy
    35        at the time to be sent home, but generally regretted it
    36        once pay day came around.  At the time they were just happy
    37        to get out of the place.
    38
    39        However, whenever sending people home became too regular
    40        over a period of time, most people refused to go.  Some
    41        people who were asked too often to go home did in fact get
    42        quite cross and refused to go.  Even if they refused, they
    43        were sent home nevertheless.  I often overheard Managers
    44        instructing their deputies to pick on a particular crew
    45        member to be sent home, for example, a person who had a
    46        creased uniform or needed a hair cut".  Which Managers are
    47        you referring to there?
    48        A.  Any Manager -- I cannot remember any particular Manager
    49        in this case, but any Manager, any shift running Manager,
    50        would have done that or would have been under pressure to 
    51        do that. 
    52 
    53   Q.   You do not remember the names of any particular Managers
    54        that you overheard saying that?  It does not matter.
    55        A.  No, not really.
    56
    57   Q.   "These people were sent home even if they did not want to
    58        go, but they were certainly allowed to stay and work in the
    59        store with a creased uniform or long hair when the store
    60        was busy.

Prev Next Index