Workers at an Amazon warehouse are set to strike for the first time. The industrial action will be the first time Amazon workers have taken strike action in the UK.
Union members at the Coventry warehouse will walk out on January 25. The action is being taken as part of a dispute of pay.
GMB said workers were angry that Amazon had only offered them an additional 50p per hour. More than 98 per cent of union members who voted chose to strike. The ballot was held last month and closed on December 16.
Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, said: “Amazon workers in Coventry are set to make history on 25 January, becoming the first-ever Amazon workers in the UK to go on strike. They've shown they’re willing to put themselves on the line to fight 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. GMB urges Amazon UK bosses to give workers a proper pay rise and avoid industrial action altogether.”
A spokesperson for Amazon said: “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.
"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.”
