Day 196 - 06 Dec 95 - Page 08
1 Can I just clarify that. Frank Stanton, he was the Area
2 Supervisor when Mark Davis was the Store Manager?
3 A. That is correct, yes.
4
5 Q. We have heard in this case that he left the area?
6 A. He was promoted and went to another region.
7
8 Q. And then Mark Davies became your Area Supervisor?
9 A. Supervisor.
10
11 Q. "Frank Stanton and Mark Davis continuously told us they
12 were under pressure to achieve their targets. Sometimes
13 I was expected ('requested') to help the Supervisor achieve
14 his targets for his stores by cutting my labour costs to
15 compensate for another store which had failed to
16 achieve."
17
18 Is that another store in his area of responsibility?
19 A. The Supervisor would have three or four stores under
20 his actual immediate control. That would be within that
21 group of three or four stores.
22
23 Q. "1.4 - Please state (a) the approximate frequency of visits
24 by 'Senior Officials' and (b) the names of the officials.
25 Answer: (a) Senior Supervisor to some extent
26 (fortnightlyish), but especially for Andy or Tim Taylor or
27 above (monthly/six weekish)." Then I have put, "All night
28 closes".
29
30 So is it clear there we are talking about special effort
31 was put into all night closes?
32 A. There would be a special effort for people above Area
33 Supervisor coming down to the stores where you do an all
34 night close, extra crew and that type of thing.
35
36 Q. Maybe we will come back to that. "Question 2 - Food
37 Costs. 2.1 - Please give the name of those that
38 applied 'pressure to keep food costs down' and 'pressure
39 not to throw food away'. Mark Davies and Frank Stanton.
40 The flat-topped grill sometimes led to under-cooked
41 burgers". Were these under-cooked burgers thrown away?
42 A. It would depend. I mean, if it was slightly
43 under-cooked it might have been served, but if it was badly
44 under-cooked it would be thrown away.
45
46 Q. How does that relate to the pressure not to throw food
47 away?
48 A. One would be at odds with the other. Sometimes it
49 would be a decision you would have to make at the time
50 whether it was served or thrown away.
51
52 Q. But what would the pressure be?
53 A. Well, obviously if you are actually throwing stuff
54 away, then it is going to affect your costs. So the idea,
55 obviously you did not want to throw anything away unless it
56 was actually unserveable.
57
58 Q. "Question 2.2 - Please state how that pressure was
59 applied. Instructions, discussed and approved at Managers'
60 meetings, example, general pressure, you just had to do it
