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Mike Ashley and Sports Direct

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pemma

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Sports Direct's founder Mike Ashley has admitted workers at its Derbyshire warehouse were paid below the minimum wage and its policy of fining staff for being late was unacceptable.

With the recent reports about Mike Ashley and Sports Direct, would you still buy from Sports Direct and/or other businesses where Ashley is involved?

I think the cheap prices at Sports Direct is what gets them customers. However, it sounds like they've been breaching employment law to save money so I think buying from them and helping the business to grow would only create more roles where employees aren't treated correctly.
 
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richw

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I will buy from them if they have what I want.
Its in the media, but what about all the other low cost retailers who aren't getting publicity?
 

ComUtoR

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With the recent reports about Mike Ashley and Sports Direct, would you still buy from Sports Direct and/or other businesses where Ashley is involved?

Their working conditions were revealed last year by Ch4 a Dispatches program. It's old news but maybe Mike Ashley is finally getting his just deserts.

Retail is horrid at the best of times but Sports Direct really takes the biscuit.
 

Tetchytyke

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Sports Direct might not have been paying properly, but they were at least paying something. Which is more than can be said for Poundland and their reliance on Workfare people "volunteering" (or else losing their right to unemployment benefits).

I generally avoid shopping there anyway tbh.
 

DarloRich

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Yes - I am happy to buy off Mike Ashley & Sports Direct. He doesn't spend a penny of the money on Newcastle United. badum. I thank you.

That select committee appearance was cringeworthingly comedic!
 

pemma

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Sports Direct might not have been paying properly, but they were at least paying something. Which is more than can be said for Poundland and their reliance on Workfare people "volunteering" (or else losing their right to unemployment benefits).

That's really a DWP issue - if they want people to do work trials they need to find suitable placements. Poundland or another high street retailer is OK for a school leaver with no work experience but not for most people. I notice under the Conservatives the maximum length of a work trial has changed from 15 working days (as it was under 'New Labour') to 30 calendar days.
 

AM9

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That's really a DWP issue - if they want people to do work trials they need to find suitable placements. Poundland or another high street retailer is OK for a school leaver with no work experience but not for most people. I notice under the Conservatives the maximum length of a work trial has changed from 15 working days (as it was under 'New Labour') to 30 calendar days.

That's just what they mean by 'good government' removing 'red tape'. ;)
 

Clip

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Yes - I am happy to buy off Mike Ashley & Sports Direct. He doesn't spend a penny of the money on Newcastle United. badum. I thank you.
!

Honestly why does this forum continue to let the riff raff in and post rubbish such as this ;):lol:

That select committee appearance was cringeworthingly comedic

It really was wasnt it - and it achieved absolutley zero. Well apart from give the MPs on it a bit of exposure and make them look like they were doing good.

But no I dont buy anything from SD but know why they exist.
 

Railops

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Is Mike Ashley's firm much different to many many others, probably not.
 

Antman

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Is Mike Ashley's firm much different to many many others, probably not.

Indeed, there are plenty of companies that treat staff just as bad if not worse.

The fact that Mr Ashley is now at least engaging in dialogue about it suggests he has perhaps become a little concerned, I'd never heard him speak before!
 

DarloRich

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Is Mike Ashley's firm much different to many many others, probably not.

Indeed, there are plenty of companies that treat staff just as bad if not worse.

The fact that Mr Ashley is now at least engaging in dialogue about it suggests he has perhaps become a little concerned, I'd never heard him speak before!


I am sure he is not the only one. However his company was the subject of a documentary on mainstream TV highlighting some poor practices and behaviours.
 

Tetchytyke

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The fact that Mr Ashley is now at least engaging in dialogue about it suggests he has perhaps become a little concerned

Sports Direct's share price has almost halved since December 2015. It seems to be focusing a few minds.
 

SS4

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I'd still take despatches with a pinch of salt as they're not above clever editing and sensationalism. I try not to buy off them but nowhere else seems to sell the shorts I want
 

AM9

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I'd still take despatches with a pinch of salt as they're not above clever editing and sensationalism.

If you read 'editing' as selective facts reporting, nor are some posters on here.
 

Dent

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I'd still take despatches with a pinch of salt as they're not above clever editing and sensationalism,.

If the facts that they reported were there to be included in the edit then those facts are the cause for concern, not the editing.

Remember that the program was only the messenger. An ad hominem attack on the messenger who told you that an issue exists does nothing to address the actual issue that they told you about.
 

SS4

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If the facts that they reported were there to be included in the edit then those facts are the cause for concern, not the editing.

Remember that the program was only the messenger. An ad hominem attack on the messenger who told you that an issue exists does nothing to address the actual issue that they told you about.

I feel like you've missed my point which is more to do with delineating fact and fiction and where on the sliding scale of accuracy they land. If you believe that only facts are presented by programmes then remember when Fox News called Birmingham a no-go area for non-Muslims?

The messenger is only giving you what they want you to hear, second hand. It's not unlike Chinese Whispers where a message may be distorted as it passes along the chain
 

Dent

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I feel like you've missed my point which is more to do with delineating fact and fiction and where on the sliding scale of accuracy they land. If you believe that only facts are presented by programmes then remember when Fox News called Birmingham a no-go area for non-Muslims?

The messenger is only giving you what they want you to hear, second hand. It's not unlike Chinese Whispers where a message may be distorted as it passes along the chain

You're still obsessed with trying to discredit one of the messengers, rather than addressing the actual issue.
 

RichmondCommu

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With the recent reports about Mike Ashley and Sports Direct, would you still buy from Sports Direct and/or other businesses where Ashley is involved?

Before injury (and my wife being the voice of reason) forced me to stop playing I didn't think twice about buying football boots from Sports Direct. And I would still do so now.

For what its worth I really don't understand why people have issues with people being fined for turning up to work late. After all there is an easy solution to that; set off for work earlier!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Your local shoe shop will have them. They do for us anyway - cheap, second rate.

What about football boots?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I don't go to Sports Direct, and I urge the rest of you not to go too.

I think it would be better if you got off your high horse and stopped telling people where they should shop. If people have a mortgage to pay, children to raise and a season ticket to pay for why shouldn't they look around for bargains? I'm assuming here that you don't have any of the commitments that I listed which makes it very easy to thumb your nose at those that do shop at Sports Direct.
 

Dent

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For what its worth I really don't understand why people have issues with people being fined for turning up to work late.

Aside from the ethics of that particular issue, it was by no means the only example of abuse of employees that has been reported.

I think it would be better if you got off your high horse

I think it's a bit rich of you to accuse anyone else of being on a "high horse" after making such a self-righteous comment as

After all there is an easy solution to that; set off for work earlier!
 

RichmondCommu

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Aside from the ethics of that particular issue, it was by no means the only example of abuse of employees that has been reported.

I concur and indeed some of the working practices at Shirebrook are beyond belief.

I think it's a bit rich of you to accuse anyone else of being on a "high horse" after making such a self-righteous comment as

Why? Why is it unreasonable to expect someone to turn up for work on time?
 

DynamicSpirit

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For what its worth I really don't understand why people have issues with people being fined for turning up to work late. After all there is an easy solution to that; set off for work earlier!

I imagine that if it was a case of getting to work 1 minute late and losing 1 minute's pay as a result, then there might not be much of an issue (although it would look a bit mean-spirited). But as I understand it, people who turned up 1 minute late were losing 15 minutes of pay - which presumably means they were expected to work for nothing for the remaining 14 minutes. That is highly unethical (and I would guess, illegal if it means the person's real pay rate for the day drops below the minimum wage)
 

RichmondCommu

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I imagine that if it was a case of getting to work 1 minute late and losing 1 minute's pay as a result, then there might not be much of an issue (although it would look a bit mean-spirited). But as I understand it, people who turned up 1 minute late were losing 15 minutes of pay - which presumably means they were expected to work for nothing for the remaining 14 minutes. That is highly unethical (and I would guess, illegal if it means the person's real pay rate for the day drops below the minimum wage)

However what Sports Direct are doing is not illegal in terms of fining people for being late, it happens in a lot of manufacturing companies. And indeed if you know you're going to lose 15 minutes pay for being late then surely to goodness you would not be late in the first place.
 

Dent

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And indeed if you know you're going to lose 15 minutes pay for being late then surely to goodness you would not be late in the first place.

More self-righteousness:roll:

Have you considered the possibility of anyone ever being delayed by circumstances beyond their control? However much time they allow, it is always possible for something to happen that will delay them even more than that.

A bit of empathy wouldn't go amiss.
 
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