Forums Forums National News Sports Direct: 90% of staff on zero-hour contracts

Retail chain's 20,000 part-time workforce do not know how many hours they will work each week and have no holiday or sick pay

Sports Direct's entire 20,000 part-time workforce are employed on zero-hour contracts at a time when 2,000 full-time staff are about to cash in bonuses of up to £100,000.

The contracts, handed to 90% of the company's 23,000 employees, leave staff not knowing how many hours they will work from one week to the next, with no sick pay or holiday pay, and no guarantee of regular work.

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Zero Hour Contracts should be banned imo.
All they do is reduce the unemployed numbers. Its my understanding that the job center's see this as a valid employment opertunity. This is imo a real step backwards and profits the employer.

This is a complete disgrace and I agree with your comments Mark.

There used to be 'Temporary Agencies' that people would register with and if there was a need for certain skills,someone filling those skills would be contacted for empolyment on a temporary basis. Suited mums, with other commitments.We still have nursing banks, supply teachers, market research etc.employing people under the same conditions.
This, I suppose is on similar lines, but I think,totally unacceptable for the main workforce of any company.
The only answer is to register for about 4/5 different companies and maybe guarantee enough hours every week, but will the job centres allow that??? Looks as if we will have a workforce of part time employees ,(worse than what it already is).
How anyone would want to come to live in this country now, beggars belief! Most of us would be trying to dig our way out, if we could afford a spade!

Disgusting, Many years ago i worked for an agency that had a similar jig, Although i did accrue holiday entitlement, it used to start building from day one and after twelve weeks be calculated on hours worked, i have been self employed for 9 years so this may have changed. I would of Thought the staff at the said company would also accrue holiday entitlement. I wonder what acas's stance on this is.

I know someone who went for an job interview for Poundland and was offered a zero hour contract. Thankfully he applied elsewhere and got better job.
This zero hour contract business smacks of employers trying to get back to the 1930s where the dockers used to turn up hoping to be one of those selected for a days work.
If you are asked to come in for a few hours, your 1st hour wage would probably be swallowed up by transport costs.

I consider this a disgrace as well

Penny Streeter runs Ambition 24hours, which is one of many private-nursing firms. The 54-year-old made more than £5 million in one year alone. The Metro reported that she pays her salary by hiring out nurses to the NHS for as much as £120 per hour while taking up to two-thirds in commission. The NHS has spent billions on agency staff since the crunch started.

may help ?

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/advice/practice-notes/holiday-entitlement/

http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/l/j/AL03_1.pdf

http://www.croner-i.croner.co.uk/croner-i/gateway.dll/hra-resources/hra-questions/hra-questions-content/hra-gold-questions-wkid-201302051609540224-54414021?f=templates$fn=hra-frameset.htm$3.0

One of my daughthers worked for them from 16-18 , they treat them like s*** ,no contract as already stated but expect to go in VERY short notice if someone s off , no breaks and you have to 'buy ' your uniform and DONT get payed for staff meetings etc .I,m proud of her work ethos, but she HAD to get out ... oh and a lot of favouritism regrading what hours you get and there on your back to keep busy for minimal wage,all the time and if you see 'lifting' your meant to deal with it because they 'save on electricity by switching alarms off. A BIT OF A RANT ...

To my mind it would seem that this company are likely to be failing in any training regarding security. They should send people on courses so they know how to deal with certain incidents. The employee can be prosecuted don't forget ,if they should compromise anyone for whatever reason.I bet the companies won't have th employees insured against such incidents or happenings.
There is also the 'manual handling' issues. Health and safety courses are invaluable,as they really show how far these companies can or cannot push the employees. Don't forget, heavy lifting,of items, does not have to be done, if you think you are unable to do so. That is the law, and a lot more besides.Don't physically touch any member of the public even in a helping way. Could backfire. So much that people need to be aware of, if the companies are not likely to use them as scape goats.

Probably one of the reasons their stuff is so cheap and they are able to blow the competition away.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jul/30/buckingham-palace-zero-hours-contracts

The Biggest Scroungers in the U.K are at it now.

Just as a matter of interest how does a zero hours contract affect someone as regards benefits and claims and unemployed figures.
Say for instance your employer decided it was a bad week and thought it best to only have you in for 2 hours a day or less than 12 hours for the week.
Would you have to alter a claim for benefits each time this happened.
Can you still refuse to work on a Sunday on religious grounds

This doesn't affect me in any way as I'm retired ( thankfully)

Log on to 38 degrees org they do petitions and blanket letters to employers such as sports direct, the more people we can get to sign the better.

This country is going backwards not forwards! As soon as I am able I am emigrating.

Why do you think it will be better elsewhere. Its part of the New World Order which basically is happy to screw anyone anywhere for their ideology.

It's just a natural evolution of decades of people taking the pee on the sick , unions having too much power and stopping work , taking companies to court , litigation , costs, competition, recession.
People don't realise that long term actions bring consequences to work , life ,when they kick the arse out something of benefit.
In the future there'll be no benefits like the USA. It's inevitable.