- Union said survey at company’s Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire was ‘bogus’
- Staff knew they might get in trouble for giving negative feedback, Unite claimed
- Billionaire Mike Ashley’s company slammed for ‘Victorian’ conditions in 2016
Sports Direct bosses asked warehouse staff to press ‘happy’ or ‘sad’ emoji buttons to say how they felt about their working conditions – before using fingerprint recognition to ID unhappy workers, according to a trade union.
Unite said the survey at the leisurewear company’s Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire – which was once dubbed a Soviet ‘gulag’ for its ‘Victorian’ working conditions – was ‘bogus’ because staff knew they might get in trouble for giving negative feedback.
Steve Turner, Unite’s assistant general secretary, added that some problems uncovered in a damning government report in 2016 about the company, owned by billionaire business tycoon and Newcastle United boss, Mike Ashley, are still ongoing today.
Trade union Unite said the survey at the Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire – once dubbed a Soviet ‘gulag’ for its working conditions – was ‘bogus’. Pictured: Mike Ashley at Shirebrook
Sports Direct bosses asked warehouse staff to press ‘happy’ or ‘sad’ emoji buttons (pictured) to say how they felt about their working conditions – before using fingerprint recognition to ID unhappy workers, according to a trade union
He told the Guardian: ‘Would you risk having hours withheld, possibly losing your job and being called in by management because you indicated dissatisfaction with your work environment?’
But the leisurewear company said it had been working on ways to allow staff to provide feedback to bosses.
A spokesman told the Guardian: ‘We believe these comments by Unite do not accurately reflect the position at Sports Direct.
Billionaire Mike Ashley’s company was slammed for ‘Victorian’ working conditions in 2016
But the leisurewear company said it had been working on ways for staff to provide feedback
‘We have a range of different measures in place to protect staff. These include a comprehensive system for staff to provide detailed feedback via an initiative called your company, your voice, plus a workers representative who attends meetings of the board.’
The spokesman added that the company has various groups and committees installed to listen to employees’ grievances.
MailOnline have contacted Sports Direct for further comment.
2016: THE DAMNING REPORT INTO ‘VICTORIAN WORKHOUSE’ CONDITIONS AT SPORTS DIRECT
BIS committee chair Iain Wright slammed Mike Ashley
MPs on the Business Innovation and Skills Committee committee were presented with shocking evidence of the mistreatment of workers, including workers being promised permanent jobs for sexual favours, numerous ambulance calls to the Shirebrook warehouse, including one for a woman who gave birth in a toilet.
Managers also imposed a ruthless ‘six strikes and you’re out policy’ with staff penalised for taking a short break to drink water and for taking time off work when ill.
Staff were also docked 15 minutes pay if they were one minute late for work.
There were 110 ambulances called out to the Shirebrook warehouse between January 1 2010 and April 19 2016, with 50 cases classified as life-threatening, including chest pain, fitting and strokes.
There were also 115 injuries over this period, including an amputation of a finger, a fracture neck and a crushed hand.
One trade union boss likened the conditions to a Soviet ‘gulag’.
BIS committee chair Iain Wright said it ‘seems incredible’ that Mike Ashley was unaware of these’ appalling practices’ given he visits the Shirebrook warehouse at least once a week.