Up to 800 Amazon workers stage walkout at Tilbury warehouse in Essex in row over pay after union said they were offered 35p-per-hour wage increase
- GMB union is calling for a £2-per-hour pay rise to deal with cost-of-living crisis
- The 35p increase offered to warehouse staff equates to a pay rise of just over 3%
- GMB spokesman also criticised Amazon’s continued use of short-term contracts
Hundreds of Amazon warehouse workers have walked out in protest over pay after being offered an hourly pay increase of just 35p per hour.
Around 800 workers walked out of the warehouse in Tilbury, Essex on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the trade union GMB.
It comes as the rising cost-of-living sparks strikes across sectors and is the latest challenge to the online retail giant which has faced criticism from workers in many countries over pay and conditions.
GMB said workers are ‘seeking a £2 per hour pay rise to better match the demands of the role and cope with the cost-of-living crisis’.
800 Amazon warehouse workers in Tilbury, Essex have walked out in a protest over pay
The U.S. tech giant, whose UK sales topped £23billion last year, said the starting hourly rate would increase from £11.10 to £11.45 in an email to their staff at the Tilbury warehouse.
The offer of a just over 3% pay rise comes as the Bank of England today warned that inflation could hit 13% this year.
Steve Garelick, GMB Regional Organiser, said: ‘Amazon is one of the most profitable companies on the planet. With household costs spiralling, the least they can do is offer decent pay.
‘Amazon continues to reject working with trade unions to deliver better working conditions and fair pay. Their repeated use of short-term contracts is designed to undermine worker’s rights.
‘The image the company likes to project, and the reality for their workers could not be more different. They need to drastically improve pay and working conditions.’
Mr Garelick shared videos of the Amazon employees sitting in the cafeteria and refusing to work on Twitter.
An Amazon spokesman said: ‘Starting pay for Amazon employees will be increasing to a minimum of between £10.50 and £11.45 per 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.’
Source: Read Full Article
