Day 179 - 30 Oct 95 - Page 05

     
     1
     2   Q.   -- "summoned to the training room.  The five I remember
     3        were Robert Pilgrim, Phil Claydon, Julian Keogh,
     4        Paul Johnson and Omid Shafibeik.  After the meeting, Robert
     5        Pilgrim told the crew in the crew room that Mark Davis had
     6        something to the effect of: 'You have had your fun, now
     7        let's stop this McDonald's Freedom Fighters thing before it
     8        gets out of hand.'  The MFF was really a bit of fun.  For
     9        instance, we had a secret handshake like the Masons and
    10        would stop talking if a supposed management mole entered
    11        the crew room.  It surprised everyone that the management
    12        took it so seriously and took such firm steps to end its
    13        existence."
    14
    15        Is that all your evidence, and correct so far?
    16        A.  Yes.
    17
    18   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What I suggest you do, if you read the text
    19        and I will take the table as read.
    20
    MR. MORRIS:  OK.  (To the witness):  This is section 3:  "For a
    22        period of about three months, I was responsible for the
    23        staff schedule.  To do the schedule, you were given a
    24        specific number of hours to allot per week.  These hours
    25        were then allotted to each hour of the day like this" --
    26        and then you have drawn a table.  Is that table correct?
    27        A.  Yes, as an example.
    28
    29   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  The table need not go into the transcript; we
    30        can get it by reference to the statement.  Yes.
    31
    32   MR. MORRIS:  "The day columns indicate the staff level between
    33        the hours in the left column.  This was calculated by
    34        looking at the day's projected takings (usually by looking
    35        at a previous week's, month's, year's till takings hourly
    36        breakdown).  The total hours used was always below the
    37        allowed labour rate of around 15 per cent.  This labour
    38        rate was the key.  For example, if you take the Saturday in
    39        the chart above, you will see that there are 32 people
    40        working over the peek lunchtime hours.  If the takings were
         lower than had been forecast, people would be asked if they
    42        wanted to go home.  If not enough people obliged, reasons
    43        would be given for sending people home; for example, not
    44        using the correct procedures on a grill, or hair too long.
    45        People arriving for their shifts would be sent home before
    46        even starting work for reasons like a creased uniform or
    47        being unshaven.
    48
    49        "If, however, the store was as busy or busier than had been
    50        forecast, people arriving for work would be allowed to 
    51        work, whatever their appearance, and those already at work 
    52        would be pressured into staying on with either the threat 
    53        of a cut in hours the following week or by saying their
    54        work area was in an unsatisfactory state of cleanliness
    55        until the store was quiet.
    56
    57        "Looking back now, I find it alarming that the labour rate
    58        was the only thing taken into account when setting staffing
    59        levels.  Safety played absolutely no part.  In fact,
    60        inexperienced staff members were regularly left on