Retail news round-up: Sports Direct agency refuse to honour back pay deal and Mulberry to launch new business in Asia.
Sports Direct workers yet to receive back pay
Sports Direct’s employment agency has refused to honour a deal to pay back money owed to workers for their shifts, The Guardian reported.
Unite union’s assistant general secretary Steve Turner told MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee on Tuesday that Transline was refusing to refund unpaid wages before it took over contracts from Blue Arrow in 2014.
A Transline spokesperson said: “All back payments have been made to Transline employees over the period in question [2014-2016].
"For those employees that worked for Blue Arrow and then transferred to Transline, we have been working with HM Revenue & Customs and are awaiting their guidance on how Tupe applies to the period that those employees worked for Blue Arrow.
"We will act according to their feedback as soon as this is received.”
Blue Arrow declined to comment.
Mulberry to set up new business in Asia
Mulberry is set to launch Mulberry Asia with a new business agreement with Challice Ltd., the Daily Mail reported.
Mulberry will hold a 60% share in the new business while Challice will hold the remaining 40%.
Mulberry Asia will initially open four stores, with two in China, one in Hong Kong and one in Taiwan.
The trading in the new company will begin on April 3, with £3m investment.
Mulberry chief executive Thierry Andretta said: ‘Mulberry Asia enables us to advance our international strategy of developing the brand in a key luxury market.’
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