// Amazon staff at its Coventry warehouse have voted to strike
// Workers had rejected a 50p per hour pay rise offer. They had wanted hourly pay to increase from £10 to £15
Amazon workers at its Coventry distribution centre have voted to strike in a UK first for the online giant.
Hundreds of employees have voted to walk out in anger over Amazon’s 50p per hour pay rise offer. Workers had wanted their hourly pay to rise from £10 an hour to £15.
A majority of more than 98% of union members voted to strike in the ballot that closed today with a turnout of more than 63%.
Any industrial action is likely to take place in the new year.
Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest news straight into your inbox each morning
Amanda Gearing, senior organiser at union GMB, said: “Amazon workers in Coventry have made history – they will be the first ever in the UK to take part in a formal strike.
“They should be applauded for their grit and determination – fighting for what’s right in the face of an appallingly hostile environment.
“The fact that they are being forced to go on strike to win a decent rate of pay from one of the world’s most valuable companies should be a badge of shame for Amazon
“Amazon can afford to do better. It’s not too late to avoid strike action; get round the table with GMB to improve the pay and conditions of workers.”
An Amazon spokesperson told The Guardian: “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 a hour, depending on location. This represents a 29% increase in the minimum hourly wage paid to Amazon employees since 2018.”
They added that employees would receive an extra one-off £500 payment, “as an extra thank you”.
Amazon workers around the world had threatened to strike on Black Friday over alleged unfair pay. The employees coordinated their campaign called the ‘Make Amazon Pay’ movement.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
