Staff members at gaming retailer GAME were taken aback by an unexpected announcement regarding a transition to zero-hour contracts, delivered through mass video calls on Microsoft Teams. The move, initially reported by Eurogamer, has stirred unrest among employees who feel blindsided by the decision.
(Photo : Unsplash / Sean Do)
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Briefings Conducted by Area Managers
The news was disseminated during briefings conducted by the company's Area Managers, who themselves remain exempt from the shift to zero-hour contracts. According to multiple staff members present in the calls, the meetings were characterized by a scripted delivery, with no opportunity provided for inquiries or discussions.
"At the end of the call, staff were informed that they would either need to accept the 'Cast Member' zero-hour contract or face redundancy following individual meetings with their Cluster Managers," one employee revealed. The abrupt manner in which the announcement was made left many feeling disrespected and marginalized.
Concerns Raised Over Job Security and Financial Stability
The shift to zero-hour contracts has raised serious concerns among staff regarding job security and financial stability. Employees express dismay over the loss of secure income and the elimination of overtime pay at a higher rate under the current contract.
"I was told they'd been planning this for a while," one staff member disclosed. "They knew it was coming but didn't feel the need to prepare us or talk to us in the lead up, just bombshell us with it." Eurogamer's investigation suggests that the transition to zero-hour contracts has been in the pipeline for some time, with a significant portion of newer hires already placed on "Cast Member" contracts over the past year.
Furthermore, the restructuring of GAME branches into concession stores within Sports Direct and House of Fraser outlets has triggered additional staffing changes. Store Manager positions have been phased out and replaced by Concession Managers on lower pay scales, further exacerbating concerns among employees.
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