Picture: BBC
The union leading the Prime Day strike at Amazon – between July 11 and 13 – is planning to spread the action to other key parts of the online retailer’s operations.
Strike solid.
This morning hundreds of workers in the GMB union picketed outside Amazon’s Coventry depot, in Warwickshire, that handles every parcel delivered in the UK.
The union said the strike was solid among its 900 members at the depot that employs 2700 workers.
Minimum £15-an-hour.
The 500,000-strong GMB is pressing for union recognition at Amazon and £15-an-hour minimum wage. Amazon refuses both.
Stuart Richards, a senior regional organiser for GMB, said a strike ballot was underway among 1200 more workers at an Amazon warehouse in nearby Rugeley in Staffordshire. The result was expected on July 14, he said.
“I think there is a good chance they will join the strike, as there are a lot of angry people up there!” says Richards.
Unlikely to disrupt parcel delivery.
Amazon, the biggest online retailer in the UK, says the strike is unlikely to disrupt parcel deliveries to its millions of customers across the country.
Richards agrees that the strike is unlikely to hit Amazon deliveries, but is likely to hit the company in the pocket.
“Amazon ignoring strike.”
“It is likely Amazon will have to move parcels up to its other centre in Doncaster because of the strike and this will mean costs and overtime for the company,” he says.
“Amazon is ignoring the strike hoping it will go away. The company has not engaged with us, as a union, at all.”
Amazon – owned by billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos – is expected to reap $7 billion from its Prime Day discount sales this year, according to JP Morgan.
Share the wealth, says unions. We are! Says Amazon.
The union believes these profits need to be shared with workers who earn between £11 and £12 -per hour.
Amazon made no comment questions about the Rugeley warehouse vote in its statement.
“There will be no disruption to customers. Our Coventry site does not directly serve customer orders,” Amazon said in response to our email.
“We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, opportunities for career growth, all while working in a safe, modern, work environment. At Amazon, these benefits and opportunities come with the job, as does the ability to communicate directly with the leadership of the company.”
Amazon also says that it pays above the national minimum wage and also regularly reviews and increases hourly pay.
