Day 168 - 03 Oct 95 - Page 14

     
     1        years resign, and we did take it quite seriously and we
     2        took the allegations quite seriously, and that is why the
     3        Store Manager conducted the investigation.
     4
     5   Q.   The Store Manager conducted the investigation?
     6        A.  That is right, Phil Cummings.
     7
     8   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What is his name?
     9        A.  Cummings, it is C-U-M-M-I-N-G-S.
    10
    11   Q.   When did he start and leave?
    12        A.  He started at Bath around June, I think it was the end
    13        of June 1994.
    14
    15   Q.   He started?
    16        A.  June 1994.  I think it was June 30th.
    17
    18   Q.   Is he still there?
    19        A.  He is.
    20
    Q.   Who was the Store Manager before Phil Cummings?
    22        A.  Fred Fenwick.
    23
    24   MR. MORRIS:  Danny Olive resigned, it was this year, was it not?
    25        A.  I think so, yes, yes.  I am not sure of the date.
    26
    27   Q.   No, but some time fairly early this year, yes?
    28        A.  It has been a few months at least, yes.
    29
    30   Q.   Right.  So which aspects of the complaints which were
    31        seriously investigated, you say, were you actually
    32        questioned about?
    33        A.  As I said yesterday, I can remember very little of the
    34        letter other than the one main specific complaint that he
    35        had about his pay.  I believe he had other complaints about
    36        the fact that he had -----
    37
    38   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Let me ask you a simpler question:  What
    39        complaints, if any, can you remember of the ones which he
    40        made?
         A.  He made a specific complaint about the fact that his
    42        responsibilities had been increased and he felt that his
    43        pay had not been increased in line with those
    44        responsibilities.
    45
    46   Q.   That is the one you mentioned yesterday?
    47        A.   He made another complaint, I believe, about the fact
    48        that he thought he was working too many night shifts
    49        compared to other shift running Floor Managers.  I am
    50        afraid I cannot recall any other specific complaints.  They 
    51        just related to -- the most, majority of the complaints 
    52        related to his relationship with the Store Manager. 
    53
    54   MR. MORRIS:  So, he had had some kind of relationship problem
    55        with Phil Cummings?
    56        A.  Yes, there was a dispute which, I believe, started over
    57        which football team they supported and the argument
    58        continued from there.
    59
    60   Q.   Phil Cummings?