You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
Amazon workers in Coventry make history with first UK strike
Amazon workers in Coventry are staging a strike today (Wednesday, 25th January) over working hours and pay. It is the first ever industrial action by UK workers at the online retailer.
Roughly 300 members of the GMB Union will strike after members voted “yes” in a ballot for industrial action last December over a £15-an-hour pay claim. The depot has 1,400 employees and the strike is unlikely to cause any major operational problems.
Local Labour MP Taiwo Owatemi voiced her support for the strikers on Twitter. She said: “Coventry #Amazon workers are taking on one of the world’s most powerful employers but by standing together alongside residents and supporters around the world they can make a real difference and win a fair pay rise during a cost-of-living crisis.”
Coventry #Amazon workers are taking on one of the world's most powerful employers, but by standing together alongside residents and supporters around the world, they can make a real difference and win a fair pay rise during a cost-of-living crisis.
Show them support this week!
Stuart Richards, a senior organiser at GMB Union, said: “Today, Amazon workers in Coventry will make history. They’ve defied the odds to become the first ever Amazon workers in the UK to go on strike. They’re taking on one of the world’s biggest companies to fight for a decent standard of living. They should be rightly proud of themselves. After six months of ignoring all requests to listen to workers’ concerns, GMB urges Amazon UK bosses to do the right thing and give workers a proper pay rise.”
The strike comes at a tumultuous time for the company, with workers in Staten Island, New York, recently voting to unionise. Earlier this month, Amazon announced this that it would be closing three warehouses and seven delivery sites in the UK and cutting 18,000 jobs worldwide.
An Amazon spokesperson said of the strike: “A tiny proportion of our workforce are involved. In fact, according to the verified figures, only a fraction of 1% of our UK employees voted in the ballot—and that includes those who voted against industrial action.
“We appreciate the great work our teams do throughout the year and we’re proud to offer competitive pay which starts at a minimum of between £10.50 and £11.45 per hour, depending on location. This represents a 29% increase in the minimum hourly wage paid to Amazon employees since 2018. Employees are also offered comprehensive benefits that are worth thousands more—including private medical insurance, life assurance, subsidised meals and an employee discount, to name a few.”
Picket lines will operate for 24 hours and a rally will be held in Coventry from 6pm to 8pm.
