This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37284114
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Sports Direct offers some staff guaranteed hours | Sports Direct offers some staff guaranteed hours |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sports Direct has said it will offer directly employed casual retail staff at least 12 guaranteed hours a week, instead of zero-hour contracts. | |
| However almost all staff at the firm's troubled Shirebrook warehouse are agency workers and are not eligible. | However almost all staff at the firm's troubled Shirebrook warehouse are agency workers and are not eligible. |
| In a report commissioned by the firm, it apologised for conditions at Shirebrook, which have been likened to those of a Victorian workhouse. | In a report commissioned by the firm, it apologised for conditions at Shirebrook, which have been likened to those of a Victorian workhouse. |
| The company has been under mounting pressure to overhaul the way it is run. | The company has been under mounting pressure to overhaul the way it is run. |
| It commissioned its legal advisers Reynolds Porter Chamberlain to carry out the review after MPs accused the firm of not treating staff like humans with working practices closer to "that of a Victorian warehouse than that of a modern high street retailer". | |
| The report comes just ahead of Sports Direct's annual meeting for shareholders on Wednesday. | |
| The firm's offer of guaranteed hours will apply to the firm's 18,250 casual staff who work in its stores. | |
| The 4,059 warehouse workers supplied by agency staff, will not qualify for the offer. Just 40 of the firm's warehouse employees are on permanent contracts. | The 4,059 warehouse workers supplied by agency staff, will not qualify for the offer. Just 40 of the firm's warehouse employees are on permanent contracts. |
| Analysis by Dominic O'Connell, Today business presenter | |
| In football, like most sports, timing is everything. Mike Ashley, the billionaire owner of Newcastle United and controlling shareholder of Sports Direct, knows this all too well. | |
| The release this morning of the independent review comes just a day before he faces irate shareholders at the annual general meeting. | |
| They, and trade unions, are baying for blood, and while the report may not mollify them, it changes the nature of the headlines the day before the showdown. | |
| The investigation is surprisingly hard on the company. Many had predicted a whitewash, as the law firm involved, Reynold Porter Chamberlain, does other work for Sports Direct. | |
| In a statement the company also promises a review of its corporate governance, and to engage with shareholders. | |
| That olive branch will probably come too late to the change the tally at tomorrow's meeting, where chairman Keith Hellawell will almost certainly face the ignominy of having a majority of independent shareholders vote against his appointment. | |
| More from Dominic: Sports Direct review | |
| Profile of Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley | Profile of Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley |
| Sports Direct staff 'not treated as humans' | Sports Direct staff 'not treated as humans' |
| 'Unacceptable' pay | |
| Last year an investigation by the Guardian newspaper revealed that warehouse staff were subject to lengthy security searches which, in some cases, resulted in their pay falling below the legal minimum wage. | |
| And a BBC investigation found ambulances were called out to Sports Direct's complex at Shirebrook, in Derbyshire, 76 times in two years. | |
| In Tuesday's report the firm said its failure to pay some staff at its Shirebrook warehouse the minimum wage was "unacceptable but unintentional", but said it had a new pay policy in place. | In Tuesday's report the firm said its failure to pay some staff at its Shirebrook warehouse the minimum wage was "unacceptable but unintentional", but said it had a new pay policy in place. |
| It also said it would ask agencies to suspend their "six strike system" for misdemeanours under which staff were given "a strike" for spending too long in the toilet, excessive chatting or taking a day off sick. | It also said it would ask agencies to suspend their "six strike system" for misdemeanours under which staff were given "a strike" for spending too long in the toilet, excessive chatting or taking a day off sick. |
| Once an employee had six strikes they were automatically dismissed. | Once an employee had six strikes they were automatically dismissed. |
| The report found the system "contributed at times to a hierarchical and potentially oppressive model." | |
| Additional changes the firm has promised include: | Additional changes the firm has promised include: |
| Shareholder meeting | Shareholder meeting |
| The report said Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley "takes ultimate responsibility for any aspects of the working practices that were unsatisfactory". | The report said Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley "takes ultimate responsibility for any aspects of the working practices that were unsatisfactory". |
| Shareholders have called on the firm's billionaire founder, who also owns Newcastle United FC, to improve both corporate governance and working practices at the company. | Shareholders have called on the firm's billionaire founder, who also owns Newcastle United FC, to improve both corporate governance and working practices at the company. |
| However the firm warned that "only so much can be achieved" in the three months since it started to reform its business and it admitted it will take "far longer to improve the general culture". | However the firm warned that "only so much can be achieved" in the three months since it started to reform its business and it admitted it will take "far longer to improve the general culture". |
| 'Unpleasant surprise' | 'Unpleasant surprise' |
| In June, in an appearance in front of the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee investigating working conditions at the firm, Mr Ashley admitted the firm had "probably" outgrown his ability to run it. | In June, in an appearance in front of the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee investigating working conditions at the firm, Mr Ashley admitted the firm had "probably" outgrown his ability to run it. |
| He said at the time that much of what he'd found out, after starting an internal investigation into how staff were treated at its Shirebrook distribution centre six months ago, was an "unpleasant surprise". | He said at the time that much of what he'd found out, after starting an internal investigation into how staff were treated at its Shirebrook distribution centre six months ago, was an "unpleasant surprise". |
| The firm said it had already commissioned a second review of working practices to monitor progress. | The firm said it had already commissioned a second review of working practices to monitor progress. |
| Do you work at Sports Direct? Have you previously worked there? Do you shop at Sports Direct? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
| If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. | |
| Email your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, upload them here, tweet them to @BBC_HaveYourSay or text +44 7624 800 100. | |
| Or WhatsApp us on +44 7525 900971. | |
| Read our terms and conditions. | |
| Or comment here: |