HRreview Header

Sports Direct operates ‘gulag’ warehouses, Guardian claims

-

Sportsdirect300

Sports Direct shares went into a tailspin yesterday and tumbled to the bottom of the FTSE 100 as its shares tanked by 12pc after a slowdown in sales and a report by The Guardian exposing dubious working conditions at the company.

The sportswear retailer has been accused by The Guardian of operating “gulag” warehouses that pay below the minimum wage. It was alleged that staff were docked pay for being late but had to be at work for extra time while they underwent body searches.

Sports Direct also lashed out against accusations that 80 percent of its warehouse staff were on zero hours contracts.

 

HRreview Logo

Get our essential daily HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Weekday HR updates. Unsubscribe anytime.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

 

“To be clear, no warehouse workers are on ‘zero hour’ contracts, all have contracted hours with the agencies”, Keith Hellawell, chairman of Sports Direct told The Daily Telegraph. 

Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.

Latest news

Middle East air disruption leaves UK staff stranded as employers weigh pay and absence decisions

Employers face complex decisions on pay, leave and remote working as travel disruption leaves British staff stranded in the Middle East.

Govt launches gender pay gap and menopause action plans to help women ‘thrive at work’

Employers are encouraged to publish action plans to reduce pay disparities and support staff experiencing menopause under new government measures.

Call for stronger professional standards to rebuild trust in jobs

Professional bodies call for stronger standards and Chartered status to improve trust, accountability and consistency across roles.

Modulr partners with HiBob to streamline payroll payments

Partnership integrates payments automation into payroll workflows to reduce manual processing and improve pay day reliability.
- Advertisement -

Jake Young: Strong workplace connections are the foundation of good leadership

Effective leaders are, understandably, viewed as key to organisational success. Good leaders are felt to improve employee engagement, productivity and retention.

AI reshapes finance jobs as entry-level roles come under pressure

Employers prioritise digital skills over traditional accounting as AI reshapes finance roles and raises concerns over entry-level opportunities.

Must read

KPMG London Senior Partner Anna Purchas: The Great Skills Re-Set

Senior partner for KPMG in London, Anna Purchas, writes on the big opportunities re-opening the Capital presents including addressing some of the key issues that have been holding the city back.

Michael Brash: Beyond Armed Forces Day

Michael Brash, Editor of Pathfinder International – the magazine distributed by the Ministry of Defence to personnel leaving the Armed Forces – believes that veterans are good for business.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you