Amazon staff have unveiled plans for protests and strikes on Black Friday across over 30 countries, including the UK.
Plans for the day of action on 24 November were revealed during the first “Make Amazon Pay” summit of political leaders and trade unionists last week in Manchester, where staff were urged to “join the global fight for their rights”.
The news follows Amazon reporting its profits tripled to roughly £8.2bn on Thursday.
The summit was attended by US senator Bernie Sanders, second deputy prime minister of Spain Yolanda Diaz and Trades Union Congress general secretary Paul Nowak.
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The coalition organised over 135 protests and strikes throughout 35 countries on Black Friday last year.
However, a spokesperson for Progressive International, one of the summit organisers, claimed the 2023 day of action would be larger in terms of impact.
GMB Union dismissed a planned pay rise for UK staff announced by Amazon last week as “little comfort to the thousands of Amazon workers facing poverty pay … and workplace surveillance” and said the business “must urgently reconsider its priorities”.
A spokesperson for Amazon said: “We always strive to be better, and while we know we’ve got more work to do, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made.
“We’ve created millions of good jobs, while helping create and support hundreds of thousands of small businesses around the world. We offer great pay and benefits, and provide a modern and safe working environment which anyone is welcome to see by taking a tour of one of our buildings”.
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