GAME staff told to expect redundancies, as most workers move to zero hours contracts
GAME staff told to expect redundancies, as most workers move to zero hours contracts
22 Comments
Whole article:
> Staff members at UK high street video game giant GAME have been told to expect redundancies, Eurogamer undertands, as the company moves most employees to zero hours contracts.
> GAME already employed newer junior staff members, referred to as “cast members”, on zero hours contracts. Eurogamer understands the chain will now employ most non-managerial staff with zero hours contracts going forwards.
> Multiple staff members speaking to Eurogamer under condition of anonymity today confirmed the changes, and said the move to make zero hours contacts standard across the business was not unexpected. Eurogamer has contacted GAME for comment.
> Staff due to be affected by layoffs were informed they would be contacted separately either by telephone or email. It’s currently unclear how many jobs are expected to be lost.
> GAME is currently in a transitional phase that has seen high street outlets replaced by smaller GAME concessions in Sports Direct and House of Fraser stores. The move has also prompted the end of GAME’s trade-in service, as Eurogamer first reported back in January.
> GAME has been part of the Frasers Group since 2019, when the company accepted a takeover bid worth £52m.
What are “zero hours contracts”?
Edit: thank you everyone for explaining that. My next question is how is this legal?
Totally separate company but I just got laid off too. Am told its due to lack of production but my team was called “automation” and we’ve finished automating.
Obviously, I saw it coming but the bullshit companies will say to your face and public instead of just admitting they would rather buy a robot than let 2 humans eat is making me a bit mad.
Video game stores are going the way of video rental stores, at this rate.
Sadly these shops are going the way of the dodo with digital downloads
Doesn’t the UK have some protection laws for employees about laying off? I’m wondering if this is the way to force it.
I miss when there was competition like Ganestation and grainge games
Basically, we need you to be available to help us, but we are not going to compensate you in any way unless you’re called.
Staff should update their availability to zero hour contracts…
Shit ass company. Moved across the country to work in their head office a while ago. I was in the online marketing team. I was there for just under 3 months before they called us into a meeting, told us they’d like to be more “online focused”… Then fired me and most of the other online team.
They also wanted to focus more on their brick and mortar VR arcades then covid hit a year later. Lol.
Amazed they’ve lasted this long, their prices were ridiculous.
staff should mass quit.
It won’t be long before Game moves entirely online, there’s no way it can survive long term. It’s been limping on for years.
I’d be interested to see what they do with hours for the staff left though, I worked there before Ashley bought it and almost everyone was on 4 hour contracts but would generally work 20-40 hours a week, that was just how they ran it.
I worked at game about 8-9 years ago and it was a shit show then too
Fuck Mike Ashley that’s all I can say.
Mike Ashley is a absolute clown. They moved my local Game store inside a Sports direct
What the fuck are they even *redundancing* ?
There’s like 1 person in the shitty little Game kiosk in sports direct. Are they going to start splitting them in half?
Do most people in the UK have contracts with their job generally? Like they have to give you full time hours?
This is very interesting to me because almost every job in the US would be considered this. They can schedule you however many hours or days they want. Make you work 14 days straight, or only give you 5 hours a week.
They can’t do that in the UK?
Worked here for 6 months, piece of shit company, deserves to go under. I’m sorry to all the people I sold broadband, cd cover, SIM cards and shitty accessories to.
Went into Game recently and was surprised at the amount of random non-gaming stuff they sell now. Seems like it’s only a matter of time for them now.
Here’s an attempt to explain the situation of UK gaming:
From my very surface knowledge of business: Mike Ashley, who is the owner of Game, is a pretty shitty owner. Pretty much all of his big things are becoming obsolete or pissed on. He owned Football club Newcastle United and iirc they were complaining about lack of investing but he eventually sold them around the pandemic period to Saudi owners. He also owns sports direct, a place where you take your kid to buy a pair of football boots the day before they need them for PE and nothing else. The one by me seems to have shut down, I honestly think it’s a laundering business because I’ve never seen more than 3 people in there at a time. Game used to be a standalone store but as a cost cutting thing they were integrated into sports direct (which is so fucking odd. One of the healthiest hobbies mixed with arguably one of the unhealthiest hobbies)
Other big businesses he owns:
• house of Frazer (clothing) (shutting down locations)
• Jack wills (clothing)
• Debenhams (disappeared. All stores abandoned and it’s creepy AF)
UK gaming is virtually dead. Most people I’m sure don’t even bother buying new games in stores and instead just go straight to Amazon. There’s used game stores like CEX which are in my opinion are just overrated asf. Their prices are crazy.
Zero hours contracts?
Laughing from a country with labor’s laws
Wondering when it would happen when they were bought out by the Sports Direct guy.