Workers at Amazon in Bristol are planning to take part in more strikes as a dispute over pay escalates. Staff at the company’s warehouse in Avonmouth are among thousands of Amazon UK employees expected to walk out from 8am Wednesday (August 10).
The row over the 35p-an-hour pay rise, which first saw workers walk out last week, comes as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put increasing pressure on households. One Bristol worker, who wanted to remain anonymous, is concerned he will soon be unable to pay for essential bills - or even for hot meals for his family - if inflation gets any higher.
Inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.4 percent in June and the Bank of England has warned it could rise to as much as 13 percent by October. Amazon staff are seeking a £2-an-hour pay rise as a result of rising inflation.
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“I will not be able to carry on paying for my essential bills with inflation looking to increase to 13% by the end of the year,” the Amazon worker told BristolLive.
“These include energy bills, my fuel for travelling to and from work, and putting hot meals on the table for me and my family. I work very hard at Amazon like thousands of others. I do feel angry because the people making the pay review decisions aren’t probably aware of how it affects so many.”
According to the worker, the strike on Wednesday is expected to cause “huge disruption” to deliveries. Amazon has not responded specifically to BristolLive’s questions about disruption to deliveries or any disciplinary action it might take against Bristol staff.
The Avonmouth site is not unionised. The tech giant does not recognise trade unions in its UK warehouses, although the GMB Union is seeking the right to represent workers in Britain. GMB has said Amazon needs to "drastically improve" pay for workers.
GMB announced on Tuesday (August 9) it had submitted a formal pay claim to the company, asking for a real-terms rise. In the letters submitted on behalf of members, including in Bristol, GMB asked for talks on pay, facilitated by government arbitration service ACAS..
Andy Prendergast, GMB national secretary, said: “Amazon workers deserve a decent pay rise. They are the backbone of the company – one of the most profitable on earth. When the high street was shut down through Covid, Amazon continued to make money. The least it can do is share those profits with their workers. GMB will continue to fight for every Amazon worker to get fair pay.”
The Amazon worker said Avonmouth staff had spoken with “some of the managers” at the site about the pay issue, too.
“They agree with us but officially can’t show or say this,” he said. “There has been no official response from any senior Amazon director about what is happening next. The leads and line managers have just collected everybody’s thoughts at the moment.” He added: "Enough is enough. The word, which has got around to all the Amazon UK sites, is ‘stick by your guns and stick together for recognition’."
An Amazon spokesperson said: “Starting pay for Amazon employees will be increasing to a minimum of between £10.50 and £11.45per hour, depending on location. This is for all full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary roles in the UK. In addition to this competitive pay, employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount among others, which combined are worth thousands annually, as well as a company pension plan.”
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