Day 003 - 30 Jun 94 - Page 21


     
     1        other country.  That is included in the turnover figures.
 
     2   Q.   What about mothers with school-aged children?
              A.  A very valuable part of our workforce.  Normally in
     3        this day and age many families have found it necessary
              that not only dad, but mum need to work.  Often times they
     4        have children and mum wants to be home with the youngster
              goes off to school.  She also wants to be there when she
     5        or he comes back from school.
 
     6        McDonald's becomes a perfect vehicle for part-time
              employment.  The child goes off to school; she goes to
     7        work; she leaves work, comes home, the child returns
              home.  She fits our bill for being there and available
     8        over lunch-time -- a very busy part of the day -- and fits
              her need for employment and income.
     9
         Q.   Does it happen in the same way as I think you told us it
    10        happens with students, that when the school holidays come
              the mother will, as it were, not work for McDonald's?
    11        A.  Yes, that is very normal.
 
    12   Q.   Does it happen she will then sometimes start working again
              when they go back to school?
    13        A.  Yes, that is also very regular.
 
    14   Q.   So if they get a week or ten days of half term in any one
              time she might stop working?
    15        A.  Yes.
 
    16   Q.   Is it easy for her then to re-enter the system at the end
              of the half term?
    17        A.  It is very easy and desirable from both her and our
              part.
    18
         Q.   Do you have, Mr. Preston, in this country any problem with
    19        recruiting staff?
              A.  No.
    20
         Q.   How do you recruit?
    21        A.  Well, we by and large in the early days of McDonald's
              here, we used local job centres, would talk with them
    22        about what our needs were.  They would often times provide
              us space within their building for interviewing.  More
    23        latterly, we have tended to do it with advertising in
              newspapers explaing there is available work, come along to
    24        the site, be interviewed by the manager or management
              team, be offered a job, if appropriate, and join the
    25        payroll.
  
    26   Q.   I will finish this paragraph, if I may.  We got to the 
              bracket after 300 per cent.  The leaflet continues:  "It's 
    27        not unusual for their restaurant-workers to quit after
              just four or five weeks.  The reasons are not hard to
    28        find".
 
    29        Mr. Preston -- perhaps, my Lord, I could lead on this --
              are the reasons why that happens the ones you have just
    30        given or are there others?
              A.  Sorry, I missed the first bit?

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