Mike Ashley believeable or not

[Gamston]

Anyone think his plans for BHS are to create a diversion from the recent negative publicity he's getting?

Not at all. He is a successful entrepreneur and he knows many of the BHS stores have prime locations in Towns and Cities. He only wants the real estate and has no interest in the failed BHS business.

[ECCOnoob]

Anyone think his plans for BHS are to create a diversion from the recent negative publicity he's getting?

 

I suspect there is some truth in that. Its exactly what I would do in his position.

 

However, it may not be such a bad thing. Ashley already owns the Irish Department Store, Heatons. They have a very similar store size and price range as BHS and operate successfully with branches incorporating both the Department Store part and "Sports World" (as its called in Eire) part in one unit.

 

It would seem an almost perfect model to fit under the BHS nameplate and would allow some of the more larger and better performing stores to keep trading.

 

Like him or loathe him surely SOME version of BHS trading would be a positive outcome.

[Mister M]

MPs have accused one of Europe's biggest retailers, Sports Direct, of not treating its workers like humans. The BIS have published their report after months of hearing the evidence:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-36855374

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/22/mike-ashley-running-sports-direct-like-victorian-workhouse

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d4b89c2a-4f65-11e6-8172-e39ecd3b86fc.html#axzz4F4yT49pU

[euroout23]

MPs have accused one of Europe's biggest retailers, Sports Direct, of not treating its workers like humans. The BIS have published their report after months of hearing the evidence:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-36855374

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/22/mike-ashley-running-sports-direct-like-victorian-workhouse

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d4b89c2a-4f65-11e6-8172-e39ecd3b86fc.html#axzz4F4yT49pU

 

if employees dont like it they are free to leave????? Mike Ashley is extremely successful and so is his company, you dont have that level of success by treating workers badly. looks like isolated cases of disgruntled ex employees causing trouble who would be a trouble maker where ever they work.

[Gamston]

It's ironic people are complaining about the conditions for workers in a warehouse built on a former coal mining site. Somehow, I don't think their conditions are anywhere near as bad as the hard working coal miners had to endure.

[Mister M]

if employees dont like it they are free to leave????? Mike Ashley is extremely successful and so is his company, you dont have that level of success by treating workers badly. looks like isolated cases of disgruntled ex employees causing trouble who would be a trouble maker where ever they work.

 

You're posing a statement as a question - are they free to leave? Yes they are. Britain is no longer feudal. However I suspect that a lot of people who work there don't like the employment practices which the BIS chair labelled as 'dehumanising' and 'Victorian'. They have to through a lack of suitable alternative.

Unfortunately it does seem that Mike Ashley has become very successful, in spite of treating some of his workers badly. I wonder whether it's just the workers on the lowest rung of the ladder that are treated badly, or whether he treats his lawyers, accountants, and marketing staff in the same way. I suspect not.

It was the Guardian newspaper who committed to investigating the working practices at SD, who contacted current and ex employees, as well as sending undercover reporters to find out the truth. I'm glad they did.

I think you're just making excuses for shoddy treatment of people. Poor.

 

---------- Post added 22-07-2016 at 09:46 ----------

 

It's ironic people are complaining about the conditions for workers in a warehouse built on a former coal mining site. Somehow, I don't think their conditions are anywhere near as bad as the hard working coal miners had to endure.

 

The NUM were active in ensuring the miners health and safety, and the welfare of its members.

Coal mining must be physically arduous. However, what was happening at SD warehouses wasn't primarily about the physicality of the work, but the way many employees were treated. Many fell ill to the point where an ambulance was called out something like 80 times in a 2 year period. The climate of fear, and humiliation by managers of workers was rife.

It is ironic, as you say, that the warehouse was built on the site of a coal mine, whose union did much to try and improve conditions of its workers. And yet, years later, when you'd hope there would be social progress, there was in fact a regression to working practices which many had wished were consigned to the past.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Mister M

[Magilla]

It's ironic people are complaining about the conditions for workers in a warehouse built on a former coal mining site. Somehow, I don't think their conditions are anywhere near as bad as the hard working coal miners had to endure.

 

You have spectacularly failed to understand the issue. It's not about the physicality of the work undertaken.

 

---------- Post added 22-07-2016 at 09:54 ----------

 

Mike Ashley is extremely successful and so is his company, you dont have that level of success by treating workers badly.

 

Yet everyone who has bothered to look into the issue and has gained some knowledge of the workings of SportsDirect would seem to disagree with you?

[alchresearch]

You have spectacularly failed to understand the issue. It's not about the physicality of the work undertaken.

 

Has he? I don't think he's mentioned arduous work, that's why he said the word "conditions" - which relate to the environment, not the job in question.

[Gamston]

You have spectacularly failed to understand the issue. It's not about the physicality of the work undertaken.

I understand Mr Ashley is running a business and not a social club.

 

You fail to understand that if Mr Ashley's business didn't have rules, then too many workers would steal more goods than they process and too many workers would spend more time looking at their mobile phones than working.

[Mister M]

I understand Mr Ashley is running a business and not a social club.

 

You fail to understand that if Mr Ashley's business didn't have rules, then too many workers would steal more goods than they process and too many workers would spend more time looking at their mobile phones than working.

 

Quite true - he is running a business. It really does make you wonder how hundreds of thousands of businesses operate profitably without humiliating their staff, having ambulance crew nigh on permanently parked up outside their warehouse, and some workers being promised permanent contracts in exchange for sexual favours.

 

As well as businesses having rules, there are rules that are the laws of the land. One of which is the requirement to pay the minimum wage.

 

---------- Post added 22-07-2016 at 13:06 ----------

 

No, you can't make the kind of money he has and claim to be totally oblivious to the working conditions within his own company.

 

He knew full well what was going on.

 

Indeed. That is what the Select Committee found. The Chairman of the committee said:

 

"It's seems incredible that Mike Ashley, who visits the warehouse at least once a week, was unaware of these appalling practices".

 

"This suggests Mr Ashley was turning a blind eye to conditions at Sports Direct in the interests of maximising profits, or that there are serious corporate governance failings which left him out of the loop in spite of all the evidence".