Day 180 - 31 Oct 95 - Page 45
1 MR. JUSTICE BELL: -- to some extent.
2
3 MR. MORRIS: Yes. Is it general? I mean, if we look at page 6
4 of that document again where it says "variable pay" at the
5 very bottom of page 6: "50 per cent of participants give
6 variable pay on top of the quoted hourly rates, bonuses are
7 the most common". Does that accord with your experience?
8 A. Yes, yes. I mean, there are -- briefly, yes, but there
9 are many different ways in which variable pay can be
10 implemented -- bonuses, merit pay, whatever.
11
12 Q. Right. That would apply to other companies, not just
13 McDonald's?
14 A. Yes.
15
16 Q. One further document to look at on this subject, I think,
17 is G1 at the front of those G documents. Just cast your
18 eye over that.
19 A. Yes.
20
21 Q. McDonald's, in April 1987, was paying 2.22 pence in Inner
22 London which is the highest, obviously, of its regional
23 figures per hour. Bearing that in mind, can you draw any
24 conclusions from comparing it with that table there of the
25 industry in general, specifically with reference to
26 females?
27 A. Table G1, table G1, is a mixture of New Earnings Survey
28 figures, NES figures, and the McDonald's actual rate and,
29 obviously, they are two sources. The NES is a one per cent
30 sample survey of National Insurance numbers across all
31 industry. So, it is a national sample survey of one per
32 cent, April 1987, but it is the best national survey there
33 is of pay. It quite clearly shows on those occupations
34 where the sample is big enough to produce reliable
35 information, McDonald's is substantially below, I think
36 that is the right way of putting it, substantially below on
37 the full-time rate of many other unskilled, semi-skilled
38 jobs, including catering jobs.
39
40 Q. So in terms of, I mean -----
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: While Ms. Steel and Mr. Morris are discussing
43 that matter, the tables which start at page 8 and go
44 through to page 11 are described as basic hourly rates. Do
45 you know what that means, because what I am asking is
46 whether there is a difference between basic and starting
47 rate?
48 A. Yes, this is where in the detail, the devil emerges in
49 the detail, I believe. Basic rates are not starting
50 rates. Basic rates are normally understood to be the
51 post-probationary rate.
52
53 Q. Just pause a moment.
54 A. And you would find starting rates, you would find basic
55 rates and then you would find additional and higher rates
56 based on various remuneration ------
57
58 Q. You mean from starting rates you would find basic rates?
59 A. You would find starting rates in a probationary
60 period. You would find basic rates for, if you like,
