According to Reuters, Amazon employees went on strike in multiple locations in Europe to protest working methods during Black Friday. The “Make Amazon Pay” campaign, coordinated by the UNI Global Alliance, said strikes and protests will take place in more than 30 countries from Black Friday, the US sales holiday, to Monday.
Germany
In Germany, Amazon’s second-largest market by sales last year, union Verdi estimated that about 2,000 workers at six Amazon fulfilment centres in Germany went on strike. It is said that 500 workers went on strike in a warehouse in Rheinberg. This accounts for nearly 40% of the labour force. Also, about 250 workers went on strike in a warehouse in Leipzig, accounting for about 20% of the labour force.
An Amazon German spokesperson said that only a small number of workers participated in the strike. He also claims that the wages of workers were reasonable. Starting at wages exceeding 14 euros per hour, he believes Amazon’s pay is just fine. However, the workers are going on strike because they think the pay is not enough.
Gizchina News of the week
UK
In the UK, more than 200 workers went on strike at Amazon’s warehouse in Coventry. They cited a long-running wage dispute as one of the reasons. Nick Henderson, a warehouse worker, said he is on strike to demand higher wages and better working conditions.
The striking workers demand a wage increase to £15 per hour. An Amazon UK spokesperson said minimum starting wages will be £11.80-£13 an hour, depending on location, and will increase to £12.30-£13 an hour from April 2024.
Italy & Spain
In Italy, the union CGIL said that more than 60% of workers at the Amazon warehouse in Castel San Giovanni participated in the strike. However, Amazon said that more than 86% of workers had gone to work and operations had not been affected.
Spanish union CCOO has called on Amazon warehouse and delivery workers to stage a one-hour strike per shift on Cyber Monday next week. Amazon parcel lockers used to receive orders have been covered with posters and barricade tape, and 40 lockers across the country have been targeted, according to Attac, the group behind the protests.
