Day 151 - 10 Jul 95 - Page 11


     
     1        necessarily mean there were problems in the restaurants in
     2        terms of hiring numbers or retaining people.  It just may
     3        well be, in the most cases, that the competition, so to
     4        speak, in the job market were paying more.  So, in order
     5        for us to compete and offer people a similar sort of wage,
     6        then they would have the discretion, upon authorisation,
     7        I think it was, from the senior supervisor.
     8
     9   Q.   To encourage people to join you and to stay on?
    10        A.  Certainly in terms of, I suppose, getting people to
    11        apply, certainly, because again -- I think this is
    12        Mr. Morris' point -- if people are looking to join any
    13        organisation, they will look at the comparable rates of
    14        pay.  I think, certainly, if there is a disadvantage for us
    15        in that respect, a significant disadvantage, then they
    16        would have the ability to have a look at to it or review
    17        it.
    18
    19   Q.   Just on pay increases and things like that, when you were
    20        supervisor in Colchester, if crew had received an increase,
    21        a performance related increase, then when they got the
    22        annual pay review in June -- it usually was, was it not?
    23        A.  From the Company?
    24
    25   Q.   Yes.
    26        A.  Right.
    27
    28   Q.   -- they would not keep that differential, would they, if
    29        they were 5p above the old rate, or 10p above the old rate,
    30        or 20p above the old rate, because of their performance;
    31        they would not keep that when it came up to June and they
    32        got the annual pay increase; they would go back to the
    33        basic -----
    34        A.  I understand what you are saying.  I cannot recollect.
    35        I know we changed somewhere along the line, that if
    36        somebody was above, 20p above the base rate, if the Company
    37        reviewed the starting rate, then they would keep the
    38        variance.
    39
    40   Q.   When was that brought in?
    41        A.  I am afraid I cannot remember.
    42
    43   Q.   In the late 80s?
    44        A.  I would be hazarding a guess.  I cannot remember.
    45
    46   Q.   Was it while you were at Colchester or was it after you
    47        left Colchester?
    48        A.  I cannot remember.
    49
    50   Q.   You are aware of some change in policy, at any rate? 
    51        A.  I believe I am correct in saying that I know we 
    52        reviewed it for salaried people.  But, again, I am getting 
    53        into Human Resources areas that I not really qualified to
    54        speak on.
    55
    56   Q.   Would you not have to look into that kind of thing when you
    57        were making your checks in the stores?
    58        A.  As a supervisor?
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Certainly, he would do.  But we may be

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