Staff at British retailer GAME are reportedly facing redundancies as the company moves the majority of its workforce to zero-hours contracts.
As reported Eurogamer, it is currently unknown how many employees will be made redundant, but it is understood that all non-executive staff will be on part-time contracts going forward. For those who may not be familiar with the UK scheme, zero-hours contracts offer no guarantee of work for the employee, as the employer is under no obligation to set a minimum number of hours.
Employees on zero-hours contracts are often invited to work on an ad hoc basis, but are under no obligation to agree and can look for work elsewhere if they wish. While certainly a flexible option for many individuals, the zero-hours contract has faced significant controversy in the UK due to fears of exploitation and extended periods without work. Vacation and sick pay also depends on the number of hours worked in the previous weeks.
In a way, this is hardly surprising. House of Fraser, which now owns GAME following its 2019 acquisition, reportedly already uses zero hours contracts for 90% of its staff at Sports Direct (although this may have changed in the time since this was originally posted). As for those at GAME who may face layoffs, it is understood that affected staff will be contacted via a separate email or phone call.
Earlier this year, the retailer scrapped its trade-in scheme, which saw customers bring in their unwanted games or tech for discounts on new products. This is believed to be largely due to the implementation of concessionary stores within Sports Direct, with only a select few standalone GAME stores remaining on the high street.
