Sports Direct hits back at Dispatches exposé of 'Victorian era' working conditions
|
Version 0 of 1. Sports Direct has hit back at Channel 4 over its Dispatches episode, aired Monday, that showed shocking staff practices involving zero-hours contracts and staff shaming over the store tannoy system. Viewers took to Twitter to discuss the episode, which received over 2 million viewers. Staff told the documentary makers that they lived in fear of losing their jobs due to a ‘six strikes and you’re out’ disciplinary system where long toilet breaks, excessive chatting and sick leave is a punishable offence, according to Channel 4. Congrats @hwallop getting inside Sports Direct. Shocking example of zero hour contract abuse. Didn't hear many praising the flexibility... Caught up on this week's Dispatches, which probes the dirty secrets behind Sports Direct's bargain basement prices. Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said the way Sports Direct operates is like a "throw-back to the Victorian era". "Workers on zero hours contracts at Sports Direct’s Shirebrook site are being shamefully exploited and living in daily fear of losing their job. "Mike Ashley and Sport Direct’s shameful business model which is built on low pay and exploitative zero hours contracts, where workers are treated with contempt, has no place on the high streets of 21st century Britain," Turner said. Sports Direct has since said that Dispatches did not provide full details of the complaints and that they did not have sufficient time to respond. It also responded to the Dispatches exposes of its use of zero hours contracts. The Independent has reported that Sports Direct employs nearly 15,000 people on terms that do not guarantee hours each week. “In respect of staff working in our warehouse Sports Direct provides working conditions incompliance with applicable employment legislation,” a spokesman said. Sports Direct was also accused of claiming £74.99 trainers had been ‘discounted’ to £59.99 when in fact they had never been on sale at the higher price. “It seems clear that Dispatches has selected only a tiny minority of discounted products from the thousands that pass through Sports Direct's retail channels at any one time,” the spokesman said. Unite has opened a confidential hotline providing advice and support on workplace abuses at Sports Direct on 0333 323 1441. |