Union and pressure group unite for Sports Direct protest

Members of the union and pressure group held a protest and petition signing as part of a national campaign at the alleged ill treatment of Sports Direct staff members.

A group gathered outside the Regent Street store with placards and information to hand out to the public.

During the demonstration a petition was also available for members of the public to sign to show their solidarity with the workers.

As part of their alternative Valentine’s Day, the demonstration included the presentation of Valentines cards to Sports Direct workers which read “We love Sports Direct Workers, we’ll fight with you.”

The demonstration was part of the #SportsDirectshame campaign which started after a 2015 Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into the retail chain’s Shirebrook Warehouse showed staff being named and shamed over a tannoy for not working fast enough.

A separate BBC investigation found ambulances were called to the site more than 80 times in the two years.

“I think the people in the Sports Direct store were a little bit surprised but it was important for us to join what has become a national campaign to get respect for agency workers at Sports Direct,” said regional communities co-ordinator Brett Sparkes.

“There was a good atmosphere at the protest, it was important for us to make a stand and show we support people who work at Sports Direct."

The groups claim that Sports Direct is mistreating its staff by employing them on unfair zero hour contracts and providing a “Draconian” working environment.

“The culture with Sports Direct is that workers are dispensable and this needs to stop. This protest is a sign that we are standing up for workers rights,” said Brett

“This is something we all feel strongly about, we’re all determined to make our voices heard. This is a protest against the whole working culture of Sports Direct. In 2016, workers shouldn’t be treated like this.”

Sports Direct have been contacted for comment.