Hundreds of Amazon workers in Coventry are on day two of a three-day strike in a dispute over pay.
According to the the GMB union, about 600 members walked out at 06.30am on Sunday 16 April and will not return until Tuesday. Further action is set to take place between 21 and 23 April.
In March, Amazon’s pay rise offer of at least 50p an hour, was described as ‘insulting’ by the union.
GMB members are calling for a pay rise from £10.50 to £15 an hour, although the union is not recognised by the US firm.
Amazon had increased the minimum starting salary of its UK workforce by a minimum 50p to between £11 and £12 an hour from 6 April, putting it above the minimum wage for people aged over 23, which is now at £10.42.
Amazon strikes
Amazon has claimed that minimum pay in its UK warehouses had recently risen by more than 37% since 2018.
A spokesperson for the online retailer said it carried out regular reviews of its pay to “ensure we offer competitive wages”, adding that only a small proportion of its workforce in Coventry was involved in the dispute.
More than 100 union members were said to have joined the picket line outside the Amazon warehouse in Coventry on Sunday, according to GMB representatives.
Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, said: “GMB members are worth more; they will not accept a pay rise of pennies from one of the world’s wealthiest corporations.”
She added: “Three months ago, Amazon told our members there was no money left for pay rises, yet through pressure, campaigning and strike action, we’ve forced Amazon to sit up and take notice. The atmosphere is great, it’s one of determination to succeed. The workers feel they have no other choice, they are all facing financial hardship.”
The workers at the giant Coventry warehouse, known as BHX4, began their protest in January, in what was the first industrial action ever taken against Amazon in the UK.
The news comes days after the company announced 9,000 new job cuts, in addition to the 18,000 axed posts it announced in January.
Amazon has 22 fulfilment centres in the UK.
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