Day 150 - 07 Jul 95 - Page 48
1 three minutes we will break and continue.
2
3 MR. ATKINSON: I may be able to get through rap sessions in two
4 or three minutes, but then I have one more topic after
5 that.
6
7 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not concerned about that. Let us see if
8 we can finish rap sessions. Let me just ask the matter
9 I wanted to ask first. The list on the Notice Board, that
10 is for people to put their own name on if they want to
11 come, is it?
12 A. Yes.
13
14 Q. People getting breaks when they are working is if they have
15 put their name up but they happen to be scheduled for that
16 period of time?
17 A. That is right.
18
19 Q. But what happens if -- maybe you told me it never happens
20 -- but I would have thought that the day of the rap
21 session might be approaching and there are going to be some
22 occasions when no one has actually put their name down at
23 all; they do not want to play that day. Does that ever
24 happen?
25 A. I have not gone to a rap session and had nobody there.
26
27 Q. That is a leap ahead, but what I am asking is if no one has
28 put their name on the team sheet, as it were, how do you
29 make sure that the visiting Area Supervisor does not come
30 all for nothing?
31 A. I do not think I have come across a situation at all in
32 my experience as a Manager or a Supervisor. Generally, if
33 people are given the opportunity to say something ----
34
35 Q. There is always someone who wants to go, is there?
36 A. I generally find, in my experience, people have always
37 welcomed the opportunity to have a say.
38
39 MR. ATKINSON: You talked about breaking the ice -- sorry, my
40 Lord, have you finished?
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, I have.
43
44 MR. ATKINSON: You talked about breaking the ice with people
45 initially. That is done, you say, but do you get the
46 impression that the crew are frightened to criticise
47 anything about the Company or a particular Manager?
48 A. No, not at all. I think that when I have done rap
49 sessions they have always approached me or given me the
50 impression that I will listen to what they say and I will
51 write down their views; because, at the end of the day, the
52 rap session is posted back up on the Notice Board. So, if
53 I do not record a true reflection of the discussion, then
54 not only is my credibility finished but also the
55 credibility of the system. Then maybe you would have
56 nobody turning up to rap sessions.
57
58 Q. It is human nature that if you are making a criticism about
59 someone it is only human to say, "Well, I am a bit worried
60 they are going to hear about that, and even if they do not
