Amazon workers at the company’s centre in Bretigny-sur-Orge, France. Representational Image/AFP.
London: Amazon workers in the United Kingdom will go on strike for the first time on 25 January demanding better pay. The announcement of strike comes close on heels when the company said that it will cut more than 18,000 jobs from its workforce, citing “uncertain economy”.
The strike has been called by GMB trade union at Amazon warehouse in central England, who also warned that further dates will be laid out “in the coming weeks”.
Demand of Amazon workers in UK
GMB has urged Amazon UK bosses to give workers a pay rise and avoid industrial action altogether.
“They have shown they’re willing to put themselves on the line to fighting for what’s right. But people working for one of the most valuable companies in the world shouldn’t have to threaten strike action just to win a wage they can live on,” the union’s senior organiser Amanda Gearing said.
Earlier, Amazon had said fewer than 300 of its 1,400 workers in Coventry are affiliated to the GMB.
The company indicated that the upcoming strike would not impact customers as the centre handles stocks and not orders.
Amazon offering ‘competitive pay’
The US tech giant said that it has been offering “competitive pay” to its workers.
“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 per cent increase in the minimum hourly wage paid to Amazon employees since 2018,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
The spokesperson further said that the company has also been offering its employees comprehensive benefits worth thousands, including private medical insurance, life assurance, subsidised meals and an employee discount.
Amazon to lay off over 18,000 employees
On Thursday (5 January), CEO Andy Jassy said Amazon will cut more than 18,000 jobs from its workforce and cited “the uncertain economy” and the fact that it had “hired rapidly” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we’re sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles,” said Jassy in a statement to his staff.
Also Read: Amazon to lay off more than 18,000 employees due to ‘uncertain economy’
Jessy also said that some of the layoffs would be in Europe and that the impacted workers would be informed starting from 18 January.
For the unversed, Amazon had announced 10,000 layoffs in November.
Amazon’s sudden announcement
Jassy said that the sudden announcement of layoffs was made because “one of our teammates leaked this information externally”.
He further said that Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economies in the past and will continue to do so.
By the end of September, 2022, Amazon had 1.54 million employees worldwide. This excluded seasonal workers recruited during periods of increased activity, particularly during the holiday season.
With inputs from agencies
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