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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2016/sep/07/sports-direct-annual-general-meeting-showdown-mike-ashley-business-live
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| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Sports Direct warehouse tour after stormy AGM – live updates | Sports Direct warehouse tour after stormy AGM – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.12pm BST | |
| 15:12 | |
| Here’s a taste of our latest news story about Ashley’s clash with Unite: | |
| Mike Ashley, Sports Direct’s founder and majority shareholder, has blamed the Unite union for the company’s problems in an angry outburst at the retailer’s annual shareholder meeting. | |
| In a packed meeting of more than 120 people at the head office in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, Ashley was challenged by the union’s assistant general secretary, Steve Turner, over a pledge to offer shop-floor staff 12-hour contracts instead of zero hours. | |
| Turner said he would not be surprised if few workers took up the offer as most were working much longer hours every week. | |
| Ashley told Turner that the 12-hour promise did not mean Sports Direct would reduce hours for those who worked longer. | |
| He said: “This is probably your fault we are in this situation because we can’t talk to you in an open manner. | |
| “I’ve made a commitment to make a difference and I’m trying so don’t pull me down. Don’t do the whole showboating thing. It will make me turn away and the only people who suffer are people that work at Sports Direct. | |
| More here: | |
| 3.00pm BST | |
| 15:00 | |
| Here’s a better photo of the protests outside Sports Direct’s HQ: | |
| While Mike Ashley shows people around Shirebrook, activists continue to protest #sportsdirectshame #sportsdirectagm pic.twitter.com/BTCBUHNz07 | |
| 2.59pm BST | |
| 14:59 | |
| Mike Ashley appears to have regained his good spirits: | |
| Hellawell just left the room to deal with something. Ashley quips "probably had his hand in the till".. Er.. | |
| Maybe he enjoyed showing his warehouse off to the journalists today. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.59pm BST | |
| 2.54pm BST | |
| 14:54 | |
| The Unite union are holding a demonstration at Shirebrook today. | |
| They’re urging Ashley to offer permanent contracts to the thousands of agency workers who keep his warehouse running. | |
| You can see them in the background, here: | |
| Unite have played a major role in exposing the problems at Sports Direct. | |
| Back in June, its officials told MPs about the poor conditions at Shirebrook, such as 110 ambulance callouts to the warehouse - including five for birth and miscarriage-related reasons. | |
| 2.42pm BST | 2.42pm BST |
| 14:42 | 14:42 |
| If you can’t get the video of Mike Ashley producing his wad of £50 notes to play, try clicking here. | If you can’t get the video of Mike Ashley producing his wad of £50 notes to play, try clicking here. |
| 2.37pm BST | 2.37pm BST |
| 14:37 | 14:37 |
| Mike Ashley says that every Sports Direct worker will get a vote on the new ‘employee representative’ who will join the board. | Mike Ashley says that every Sports Direct worker will get a vote on the new ‘employee representative’ who will join the board. |
| That’s from my colleague Sarah Butler, who is touring the site now: | That’s from my colleague Sarah Butler, who is touring the site now: |
| Staff board rep will be elected by all 20,000-plus staff Sports Direct's Ashley says. Just working out details of election | Staff board rep will be elected by all 20,000-plus staff Sports Direct's Ashley says. Just working out details of election |
| 2.17pm BST | 2.17pm BST |
| 14:17 | 14:17 |
| For most journalists, this is their first taste of life inside the Shirebrook warehouse. | For most journalists, this is their first taste of life inside the Shirebrook warehouse. |
| Mike Ashley has admitted that mistakes were made - but he’s also hoping to prove the difficulty in controlling such a huge site. | Mike Ashley has admitted that mistakes were made - but he’s also hoping to prove the difficulty in controlling such a huge site. |
| The BBC’s Joe Miller explains: | The BBC’s Joe Miller explains: |
| Ashley: "If the headline is sorry then so be it. Because clearly I could have done a better job." pic.twitter.com/qW5hi9HSUn | Ashley: "If the headline is sorry then so be it. Because clearly I could have done a better job." pic.twitter.com/qW5hi9HSUn |
| Mike Ashley adds he "didn't deliberately do it badly". "Impossible to get it right." Pleads for time to make changes. #SportsDirect | Mike Ashley adds he "didn't deliberately do it badly". "Impossible to get it right." Pleads for time to make changes. #SportsDirect |
| And The Times’s Deirdre Hipwell has captured one of the many lines of products, waiting to be collected by the army of workers. | And The Times’s Deirdre Hipwell has captured one of the many lines of products, waiting to be collected by the army of workers. |
| This is just one aisle of hundreds at shirebrook ... pic.twitter.com/PDtkGqM9SM | This is just one aisle of hundreds at shirebrook ... pic.twitter.com/PDtkGqM9SM |
| 1.46pm BST | 1.46pm BST |
| 13:46 | 13:46 |
| Simon Goodley | Simon Goodley |
| Mike Ashley has stuffed his £50 notes away, and started discussing the issue of how staff were paid below the minimum wage. | Mike Ashley has stuffed his £50 notes away, and started discussing the issue of how staff were paid below the minimum wage. |
| He says he only discovered the problems with searches last December, after the Guardian exposed them. | He says he only discovered the problems with searches last December, after the Guardian exposed them. |
| Ashley hasn’t forgotten that report, saying: | Ashley hasn’t forgotten that report, saying: |
| “He’s not my favourite person, the Guardian man. Where is he?” | “He’s not my favourite person, the Guardian man. Where is he?” |
| Still here. For now..... | Still here. For now..... |
| 1.40pm BST | 1.40pm BST |
| 13:40 | 13:40 |
| Ashley stuns journalists with roll of £50s | Ashley stuns journalists with roll of £50s |
| Oh dear lord, Mike Ashley has just been searched by Sports Direct’s security staff - and produced a chunky wad of £50 notes from his pockets. | Oh dear lord, Mike Ashley has just been searched by Sports Direct’s security staff - and produced a chunky wad of £50 notes from his pockets. |
| Mike Ashley demonstrates search procedure at #SportsDirect warehouse. In his pocket? A huge wad of £50 notes. pic.twitter.com/kz5jBQKY8K | Mike Ashley demonstrates search procedure at #SportsDirect warehouse. In his pocket? A huge wad of £50 notes. pic.twitter.com/kz5jBQKY8K |
| When asked if he really just placed “a lot of cash” in the security tray, Ashley grinned: | When asked if he really just placed “a lot of cash” in the security tray, Ashley grinned: |
| Yes, I’ve just been to the casino.....No, don’t please write that. | Yes, I’ve just been to the casino.....No, don’t please write that. |
| Buzzfeed’s Simon Neville helpfully captured it on video: | Buzzfeed’s Simon Neville helpfully captured it on video: |
| Mike Ashley gets searched... Yes. That is a massive wad of £50 notes he just took out his pocket pic.twitter.com/zV78Qdfmec | Mike Ashley gets searched... Yes. That is a massive wad of £50 notes he just took out his pocket pic.twitter.com/zV78Qdfmec |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.42pm BST | at 1.42pm BST |
| 1.21pm BST | 1.21pm BST |
| 13:21 | 13:21 |
| My colleague Simon Goodley has managed to send a photo from the scrum around Mike Ashley: | My colleague Simon Goodley has managed to send a photo from the scrum around Mike Ashley: |
| Ashley seems to have cheered up a bit, following his attack at Unite during the AGM. But will it last?.... | Ashley seems to have cheered up a bit, following his attack at Unite during the AGM. But will it last?.... |
| 1.14pm BST | 1.14pm BST |
| 13:14 | 13:14 |
| Mike Ashley is posing for photos and chatting to journalists as the tour gets underway. | Mike Ashley is posing for photos and chatting to journalists as the tour gets underway. |
| He says that he (like very other worker) used to be searched when he left the site. | He says that he (like very other worker) used to be searched when he left the site. |
| Now the process has been revised, so that some workers are chosen randomly, he explains. | Now the process has been revised, so that some workers are chosen randomly, he explains. |
| The process has also been streamlined, so that workers don’t spend unpaid time being searched, dragging down their wages to below minimum levels [not a worry for billionaire Mike Ashley, of course]. | The process has also been streamlined, so that workers don’t spend unpaid time being searched, dragging down their wages to below minimum levels [not a worry for billionaire Mike Ashley, of course]. |
| As repeated earlier, it's definitely not just about one man, ok? pic.twitter.com/ylckJnAeA2 | As repeated earlier, it's definitely not just about one man, ok? pic.twitter.com/ylckJnAeA2 |
| 1.02pm BST | 1.02pm BST |
| 13:02 | 13:02 |
| Sports Direct’s investors have now finished voting on today’s resolutions, so we’ll have the results in a few hours. | Sports Direct’s investors have now finished voting on today’s resolutions, so we’ll have the results in a few hours. |
| The entire room have now donned fluorescent jackets and headed out for a tour of the Shirebrook site. | The entire room have now donned fluorescent jackets and headed out for a tour of the Shirebrook site. |
| Whole agm now heading off on a tour of Shirebrook .. Not seen the like if this before pic.twitter.com/UFb9HgkOnL | Whole agm now heading off on a tour of Shirebrook .. Not seen the like if this before pic.twitter.com/UFb9HgkOnL |
| Ashley tour is on. Tells us there's always problems with companies of this size. pic.twitter.com/VXqovUxTeS | Ashley tour is on. Tells us there's always problems with companies of this size. pic.twitter.com/VXqovUxTeS |
| 1.00pm BST | 1.00pm BST |
| 13:00 | 13:00 |
| Snap summary: Mike Ashley angered by Direct questions at AGM | Snap summary: Mike Ashley angered by Direct questions at AGM |
| Nine months after the Guardian went undercover at Sports Direct, the company is now facing the full consequences of operating a “Dickensian” warehouse in 21st century Britain. | Nine months after the Guardian went undercover at Sports Direct, the company is now facing the full consequences of operating a “Dickensian” warehouse in 21st century Britain. |
| And owner Mike Ashley didn’t appear to enjoy the experience at all, after his vision of creating a Selfridges-style retailer had an early encounter with reality. | And owner Mike Ashley didn’t appear to enjoy the experience at all, after his vision of creating a Selfridges-style retailer had an early encounter with reality. |
| To recap.. | To recap.. |
| Ashley has lashed out at the Unite union for criticising his offer of permanent contracts to casual retail staff. He accused it of “showboating”, and alleged that Unite had contributed to the problems at Shirebrook. | Ashley has lashed out at the Unite union for criticising his offer of permanent contracts to casual retail staff. He accused it of “showboating”, and alleged that Unite had contributed to the problems at Shirebrook. |
| Ashley declared: | Ashley declared: |
| This is probably your fault we are in this mess because we can’t talk to you. I made a commitment to make a difference, I am trying, don’t pull me down. | This is probably your fault we are in this mess because we can’t talk to you. I made a commitment to make a difference, I am trying, don’t pull me down. |
| I accept I have made some errors and I accept I can learn something. Please don’t do the whole showboating thing, it will make me turn away and it’s the people who work in Sports Direct who suffer.” | I accept I have made some errors and I accept I can learn something. Please don’t do the whole showboating thing, it will make me turn away and it’s the people who work in Sports Direct who suffer.” |
| Yesterday Sports Direct committed to “A developing dialogue with Unite to obtain their feedback.” Ashley’s performance threatens to undermine that commitment. | Yesterday Sports Direct committed to “A developing dialogue with Unite to obtain their feedback.” Ashley’s performance threatens to undermine that commitment. |
| Unite’s Steve Turner also lashed the company over its use of agencies, who supply 4,000 workers to the company. They have helped to damage your company name, he told the board. | Unite’s Steve Turner also lashed the company over its use of agencies, who supply 4,000 workers to the company. They have helped to damage your company name, he told the board. |
| Underfire chairman Keith Hellawell has promised to step down in 2017, if he doesn’t enjoy the support of shareholders at next year’s AGM. We learned this morning that he offered to resign over the weekend, but was told to stay on. | Underfire chairman Keith Hellawell has promised to step down in 2017, if he doesn’t enjoy the support of shareholders at next year’s AGM. We learned this morning that he offered to resign over the weekend, but was told to stay on. |
| Hellawell also admitted that Sports Direct’s working practices had fallen far below acceptable standards. He told today’s AGM that: | Hellawell also admitted that Sports Direct’s working practices had fallen far below acceptable standards. He told today’s AGM that: |
| We agree the system is not good enough, and we are going to improve it. | We agree the system is not good enough, and we are going to improve it. |
| But Sports Direct’s largest independent shareholders are running out of patience. Standard Life has revealed it has voted against reappointing the board’s non-executive directors. | But Sports Direct’s largest independent shareholders are running out of patience. Standard Life has revealed it has voted against reappointing the board’s non-executive directors. |
| Euan Stirling, head of stewardship and environmental, social and governance investment at the group, wants a full review of the company. | Euan Stirling, head of stewardship and environmental, social and governance investment at the group, wants a full review of the company. |
| Stirling also demanded “a group of talented and experienced executives” to support and challenge Ashley, particularly from the Chairman’s seat. | Stirling also demanded “a group of talented and experienced executives” to support and challenge Ashley, particularly from the Chairman’s seat. |
| Standard Life wants Ashley's role, title and responsibilities redefined and full independent review of way @SportsDirectUK is run. | Standard Life wants Ashley's role, title and responsibilities redefined and full independent review of way @SportsDirectUK is run. |
| The City is also disappointed that Sports Direct expects profits this year to be 20% lower than in 2015-16 (news that came at 7am). This has wiped 10% off the company’s value this morning. | The City is also disappointed that Sports Direct expects profits this year to be 20% lower than in 2015-16 (news that came at 7am). This has wiped 10% off the company’s value this morning. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.21pm BST | at 1.21pm BST |
| 12.36pm BST | 12.36pm BST |
| 12:36 | 12:36 |
| The AGM is now over. Perhaps Mike Ashley’s bad mood trumped his promise to say until midnight to answer questions. | The AGM is now over. Perhaps Mike Ashley’s bad mood trumped his promise to say until midnight to answer questions. |
| Investors are now voting on the various resolutions on whether to reappoint directors, and approve the pay report. | Investors are now voting on the various resolutions on whether to reappoint directors, and approve the pay report. |
| Journalists are now heading out of the room, ready to experience the new Open Tour of Shirebrook. | Journalists are now heading out of the room, ready to experience the new Open Tour of Shirebrook. |
| They’re being serenaded out to “Don’t Stop Believin”, by Journey: | They’re being serenaded out to “Don’t Stop Believin”, by Journey: |