Day 188 - 15 Nov 95 - Page 75


     
     1             "4.  Smile requirement.  I was told by managers
     2             when I was serving to smile.  This was generally
     3             when I was on the tills.  I was on the tills
     4             about once a week, and I would usually be
     5             watched by managers.  I thought it was
     6             degrading.  It was foolish.  You cannot smile
     7             for six hours.
     8
     9             "5.  Burns.  The loose tiles were not where the
    10             food was cooked or prepared, but outside, near
    11             to the freezer at the back.  The tiles were
    12             loose all the time I was there.  I complained to
    13             the manager a couple of times.  I cannot
    14             remember the name of the manager or when it was.
    15             There was grease around the chip area.  This was
    16             constantly the case.  A section leader showed me
    17             how to put salt on the floor.  Section leaders
    18             put salt on the floor along with other crew
    19             members.
    20
    21             "6.  In the freezers.  We would have to go into
    22             the freezers to rearrange the stock, to put the
    23             stock in or to take it out.  This only took a
    24             few minutes, maybe four minutes at the most.
    25             I used to use a jacket which was provided for
    26             cleaning in the street.  I never asked for any
    27             other clothing.  I do not remember anybody being
    28             injured or harmed as a result of going into the
    29             freezers.
    30
    31             "7.  Employee costs ratios.  I was told by a
    32             manager about these ratios, this was in April,
    33             by someone called John, that this was the rule,
    34             but I do not know how he knew this.
    35
    36             "8.  Dismissal on fall of takings.  I do not
    37             remember any instances of anyone being dismissed
    38             or having to go home when the takings fell.
    39
    40             "9.  Understaffing.  The difficulty with
    41             understaffing was that the job was often not
    42             possible when you were on your own.  When on the
    43             fryer, you could not keep with keep with the
    44             demands for fries.  This was particularly the
    45             case at busy periods like on Saturdays or after
    46             the pubs closed,.  Also, there was a demand from
    47             servers when you were on your own, doing the
    48             apple pies.   Lastly, the same was true for
    49             putting the bread in toasters.  In all cases
    50             there was often pressure by bickering from the 
    51             management. 
    52 
    53             "10.  Hostility to trade unions.  I do not
    54             remember any specific examples other than in my
    55             statement.  I tried to start a union using
    56             leaflets.
    57
    58             "11.  Complaints.  I do not remember any
    59             examples of people being in fear of making
    60             complaints.

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