Staffing arrangements for millennium night went off without a hitch
according to major employers contacted by Personnel Today.
Aintree hospital in Liverpool paid triple time plus time off in lieu. It had
a smooth night with only a handful of staff out of 1,400 calling in sick.
Personnel director Lew Swift said the prior planning enabled the hospital to
cope with a busy night. "We allocated a special ward for receiving drunks
and divided accident and emergency into two parts so minor injuries went to one
and major to the other," he said.
Despite fears of staff staying away at some Scottish councils, after three
offered higher rates than the rest, Stirling Council reported a full turnout.
It paid a bonus of £100 or £50 for standby and £50 for call out as agreed with
unions.
Aberdeen City Council, which paid bonuses 75 per cent higher, insisted it
was right to pay the extra. It could not risk stewards not turning up for duty
as police would have closed down the street celebrations.
Some pubs were reported to be overstaffed due to a low turn-out of
customers.
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Bass Leisure said it had expected city centres to be quiet and had not
opened 700 of its pubs. It had the right level of staff in the remaining 2,300
mainly local pubs. Tickets were sold in advance so it knew how busy each one
would be and how many staff to book.
Staff were paid three times the usual rate plus a £25 bonus, or four times
the rate depending on the type of pub.
