Unions to shine light on “businesses that treat workers like animals”

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Frances O’Grady is to warn “greedy businesses that treat workers like animals” that they have no place to hide in her speech at the TUC Congress in Brighton this morning. The general secretary of the TUC Frances O’Grady will claim that the worker exploitation typified by Sports Direct is becoming more widespread. Speaking about recent commitments by Sports Direct to improve its working practices, she will say: “After months of Unite’s patient organising, winning public support and using trade union shareholder power, we got a result. “An end to zero hours contracts for retail staff, no more ‘six strikes and out’, and at long last the chance to get agency workers onto permanent contracts.” But Sports Direct is not an isolated case: “There are other big companies that bring shame on our country. So let me give fair warning to any greedy business that treats its workers like animals – we will shine a light on you. “Run a big brand with a dirty little secret? A warehouse of people paid less than the minimum wage? A fleet of couriers who are slaves to an app? Let me put you on notice.” O'Grady will describe the Trade Union Act 2016, which