Day 197 - 07 Dec 95 - Page 14

     
       1      all night close, depending on who was coming, make sure
       2      that we had more than enough people on during the day, all
       3      the best people, all the Managers present.  So there was
       4      always an enormous amount of pressure to ensure that the
       5      visits went well, so that they only came round once every
       6      six weeks, something like that.  As I say, it is like a
       7      catch-22 where if you are told to do it, but then you
       8      would be criticised at a later date.
       9
      10 Q.   These PRs, are they done only for your benefit or are they
      11      shown to anybody else?
      12      A.  They are done, or my opinion is they are done, for two
      13      reasons:  (1) to show that you are being monitored and
      14      given a route for improvement but, secondly, so that the
      15      people above can see that the Supervisor or the Store
      16      Manager is doing his job properly by criticising and
      17      trying to improve his staff.
      18
      19 Q.   So he is expected to criticise?
      20      A.  It would be part of the job.  I mean, I would do PRs
         on my Assistant Managers and I would criticise them as
      22      well.  So, it is a way that Supervisors can monitor that
      23      we are actually monitoring our people properly as well as
      24      giving them goals and setting them objectives.
      25
      26 Q.   So do you think he is saying one thing to you and saying
      27      something to someone else?
      28      A.  Not -----
      29
      30 MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, do not answer that.  There has been a
      31      lot of leading questions ---
      32
      33 MR. MORRIS:  I am just trying to get through it.
      34
      35 MR. JUSTICE BELL:  -- but that deserves a gold medal, does it
      36      not?
      37
      38 MR. MORRIS:  This is something that has not appeared before, on
      39      page 48 under "Management development".  The first point
      40      is "Operate a 5.2 schedule".  Can you explain that?
         A.  As I said previously, although we were supposed to
      42      work a 6.2 ------
      43
      44 MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That is the five days on and two off, is it?
      45      A.  We were actually instructed then to do it because we
      46      were losing so many Managers.  One of the biggest
      47      criticisms that new managers were saying they were not
      48      getting enough time off, so eventually I was actually
      49      told, yes, now everyone get two days off a week.
      50
      51 MR. MORRIS:  This is the last quarter of 1989, that was.
      52      A.  Yes. 
      53
      54 Q.   OK.  The next one is dated November 1989 and on page 50
      55      under "Profit section":  "Notes, your PAC is 33.30 which
      56      is up 1.22 per cent".  Then it says:  "Overall, you have
      57      controlled your P&L well over the year.  Your food control
      58      has come in line far more consistently than in 1988.  A
      59      distinct area of improvement".  Around this time did you
      60      ever have any recognition from the Company?