Day 199 - 11 Dec 95 - Page 06
1 store. When the store was operating at the so-called
2 optimum staffing level, the staff were generally pretty
3 pushed and the pressure was fairly high".
4
5 So did you feel that there were enough staff in the store
6 at this so-called optimum staffing level?
7 A. In my opinion, no, but in the opinion of the
8 management, yes.
9
10 Q. "If a store was found to be running with staff costs which
11 were too high, the store Managers would get into trouble
12 with the Area Manager and also with his superior, the Area
13 Supervisor."
14
15 Why do you say that they would get into trouble with the
16 Area Manager?
17 A. Well, if you had an odd day or so where you were in
18 theory overstaffed, then that would be all right but if it
19 went on for two or three days at the end of the week when
20 the Branch Manager is giving his report, or the report has
21 gone to Head Office, he would then be basically jumped on.
22 This is the way it was put to me. If they were not running
23 at a profitable store, the Branch Manager would be jumped
24 on by the Area Supervisors. If he was jumped on, then he
25 would jump on the First Assistant Manager who would then
26 jump on the Second Assistant Manager.
27
28 Q. So it came down through the Manager?
29 A. It came down through the management.
30
31 Q. "Each store was given a target for running costs per
32 week." Again is that by the same person or by somebody
33 different?
34 A. Well, I believe it was through Head Office.
35
36 Q. That was the same system then, you are saying?
37 A. Yes.
38
39 Q. "If there was any increase in this figure without a
40 proportionate increase in takings, then the Managers would
41 be in trouble. There was, therefore, a great deal of
42 pressure on them to keep expenses within their targets.
43 There was a specific weekly target ratio relating to staff
44 salaries as a proportion of takings.
45
46 I remember that people were sent home early when the
47 takings were low. Often people would volunteer to go home
48 early". Did many people volunteer?
49 A. It would be about 50-50, I would think. Some people
50 would volunteer and others would say: "Listen" -- if you
51 had been sort overmanned for a couple of hours, and it did
52 not look as though you were getting any busier, then you
53 would, sort of, ask for volunteers to go home. Some would
54 volunteer, some quite willingly; others were a bit reticent
55 about it, you know, and say: "I was sent home early last
56 week", sort of thing, "it is not my turn".
57
58 Q. But they were sent home, nevertheless?
59 A. They were sent home, nevertheless.
60
