Former USC workers WIN legal case against Rangers shareholder Mike Ashley

[ian1964 10,761]

RANGERS shareholder Mike Ashley has been criticised for using "disgraceful" and "unlawful" employment practices after losing a legal case against 50 former employees.

 

The workers, who were employed by his ailing clothing chain USC, have all secured a protected redundancy payout after the firm - which is now in control of administrators Duff & Phelps - gave them just 15 minutes' notice before they lost their jobs.

 

It is understood that the payouts could run to thousands of pounds for each employee.

 

A total of 88 workers were made redundant at the company's warehouse in Dundonald, Ayrshire, in January this year.

 

The way the job losses were dealt with prompted fierce criticism of Sports Direct, the firm's parent company, and Mr Ashley.

 

Thompsons Solicitors, who represented the workers at an employment tribunal in Glasgow, said the decision showed that employers cannot mistreat staff in the way Sports Direct did.

 

Rory McPherson, the partner in charge of Thompsons employment law department, said: "This judgement from the tribunal is very good news for the former employees at Dundonald who brought the case.

 

"They showed courage in standing up to and beating a rich and powerful employer like Mike Ashley who used disgraceful and unlawful employment practices.

 

"I’m very glad that this law firm was able to help the workers involved and call on politicians in both Holyrood and Westminster to do all they can to stop employers like Mr Ashley thinking they can ride roughshod over workers' rights."

 

The tribunal heard that the firm was aware of financial difficulties and a possibility of administration as far back as November 2014.

 

Stock was removed from the warehouse on January 7, and there were rumours that the warehouse was to close, but the staff were never officially informed.

 

A written judgment on the case - which was not defended by USC - states: "A staff meeting was called for 14 January. At that meeting a letter was given to all employees regarding the situation.

 

"After approximately 15 minutes given to employees to digest the contents of that letter a second pre-prepared letter was issued to employees.

 

"That letter referred to there having been consultation and it intimated redundancies. The employees were dismissed in terms of that letter.

 

"There had in fact been no discussion or consultation regarding alternatives of information as to redundancies."

 

The protective award issued means that Duff & Phelps will have to set money aside for the former employees. Employment judge Robert Gall said the workers should each receive 90 days' redundancy.

 

At the time the workers were made redundant, Fergus Ewing, Holyrood's Business Minister, spoke of his "extreme concern and disappointment" at the conduct of Sports Direct.

 

Representatives from the Scottish Government attempted to contact bosses and offer support to employees but were unsuccessful.

 

Officials from PACE - the Scottish Government initiative designed to offer advice to redundant workers - attended the warehouse at Dundonald following unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with company bosses, but were denied access to the site for several days.

 

The Scottish Affairs Select Committee at Westminster also called on Mr Ashley to give evidence on the handling of the situation, as well as the general treatment of Sports Direct workers, but the company's chairman Keith Hellawell attended instead.

 

There was suggestion that Mr Ashley could still be called before the committee but members are awaiting a response from the UK Government to their report on the issue before they decide the next course of action.

 

Duff & Phelps refused to comment on the case.

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/13812155.Former_USC_workers_WIN_legal_case_against_Rangers_shareholder_Mike_Ashley/

[boabie 230]

Any political party worth its salt would call for a campaign to have every one of Ashleys companies subject of a total public embargo. He should be driven out of business. On a side note - Duff and Phelps again ???

[buster. 5,257]

Any political party worth its salt would call for a campaign to have every one of Ashleys companies subject of a total public embargo. He should be driven out of business. On a side note - Duff and Phelps again ???

 

I only wish such things existed !

 

Ashley is a loathsome individual whose business practises are repugnant.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Well done to the workers, sometimes the little guy wins.

[pete 2,499]

Any political party worth its salt would call for a campaign to have every one of Ashleys companies subject of a total public embargo. He should be driven out of business. On a side note - Duff and Phelps again ???

 

To be honest I think it is extremely possible that Ashely was involved in the Rangers Saga from day 1. Whether we like the SFA or or not we do have to be grateful they stopped Ashely in his tracks.

[Bearman 9]

To be honest I think it is extremely possible that Ashely was involved in the Rangers Saga from day 1. Whether we like the SFA or or not we do have to be grateful they stopped Ashely in his tracks.

 

Could have been for the wrong reasons they stopped him though...Billionaire involved in Rangers...oh no, we won't have that!

[pete 2,499]

Could have been for the wrong reasons they stopped him though...Billionaire involved in Rangers...oh no, we won't have that!

 

Newcastle United! I don't know about you but I don't want that for Rangers.

[ian1964 10,761]

Sports Direct chief charged over USC redundancies

 

Sports Direct chief executive David Forsey has been charged with a criminal offence following the collapse of fashion retailer USC.

 

He is alleged to have broken rules about notifying authorities ahead of laying off workers at a warehouse.

 

Sports Direct declined to comment.

 

The government's Insolvency Service said: "We can confirm that criminal proceedings have been commenced against David Michael Forsey."

 

"He is charged with an offence contrary to section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. We will not be commenting until the criminal proceedings have been concluded," said the Insolvency Service.

 

Chesterfield Magistrates Court is due to hear the case on 14 October and the maximum penalty for the offence is £5,000.

 

Earlier this year, Parliament investigated how Sports Direct laid off 83 staff at the USC distribution depot in South Ayrshire.

 

Almost immediately after it went into administration, the fashion retailer was bought by another part of Sports Direct, through a so-called pre-pack administration. It is now trading again, but with less debt, according to the committee, which met in March.

 

Keith Hellawell, the company's chairman, told the Parliamentary committee he and the board had not known anything about the collapse of USC until the day before it folded.

 

But, he said, Mr Forsey had begun "consulting" with administrators Duff and Phelps as early as 14 November. Dr Hellawell insisted the firm "didn't want" USC to fold.

 

Workers were given even less notice, 15 minutes, before they heard they had lost their jobs, the committee was told.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34488401

[buster. 5,257]

Sports Direct chief charged over USC redundancies

 

Sports Direct chief executive David Forsey has been charged with a criminal offence following the collapse of fashion retailer USC.

 

He is alleged to have broken rules about notifying authorities ahead of laying off workers at a warehouse.

 

Sports Direct declined to comment.

 

The government's Insolvency Service said: "We can confirm that criminal proceedings have been commenced against David Michael Forsey."

 

"He is charged with an offence contrary to section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. We will not be commenting until the criminal proceedings have been concluded," said the Insolvency Service.

 

Chesterfield Magistrates Court is due to hear the case on 14 October and the maximum penalty for the offence is £5,000.

 

Earlier this year, Parliament investigated how Sports Direct laid off 83 staff at the USC distribution depot in South Ayrshire.

 

Almost immediately after it went into administration, the fashion retailer was bought by another part of Sports Direct, through a so-called pre-pack administration. It is now trading again, but with less debt, according to the committee, which met in March.

 

Keith Hellawell, the company's chairman, told the Parliamentary committee he and the board had not known anything about the collapse of USC until the day before it folded.

 

But, he said, Mr Forsey had begun "consulting" with administrators Duff and Phelps as early as 14 November. Dr Hellawell insisted the firm "didn't want" USC to fold.

 

Workers were given even less notice, 15 minutes, before they heard they had lost their jobs, the committee was told.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34488401

 

Incidently, when Scottish Police searched SD HQ not so long back in connection with our case, I'm sure it was Forsey that they wanted to talk to.

 

Edit.....Link and story below.

 

 

Also seems like D&P UK are building and developing a reputation of sorts.

 

 

POLICE probing two Rangers takeovers raided Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley’s HQ yesterday.

 

Detectives investigating the conduct of Craig Whyte and Charles Green travelled from Scotland to the Derbyshire nerve-centre of Ashley’s huge business empire.

 

The two-year inquiry was understood to have centred on Whyte – but now the focus seems to have switched to Rangers’ operations since the club was sold by Sir David Murray in 2011.

 

The move has shocked staff at Ashley’s HQ in Shirebrook, Mansfield.

 

One worker told the Record: “I noticed a couple of regular bobbies walking around but I didn’t think too much of it.

 

“But when I tried to step outside the building at around 11am, I was told I couldn’t leave until a full search of the premises had been carried out.

 

“One detective said we could go into the canteen while the search was ongoing but people wanted to know what was happening so we stayed there.

 

“At one point, the detective asked if any of those in reception was David Forsey, the chief executive. When we said he wasn’t there, he said we were all free to go.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-takeover-probe-police-raid-5642669

Edited October 9, 2015 by buster.