Workers at Amazon’s Coventry warehouse have voted to reject a trade union recognition bid by the GMB.
The GMB said 49.5% of the 2,600 workers who voted backed union recognition, falling just short of the majority needed to become a recognised trade union at the site.
In April, the Central Arbitration Committee ruled that the union could proceed with a vote on whether it could form a collective bargaining unit, after the online retail giant refused to recognise the GMB, or any other union, at its Amazon UK Services’ Coventry fulfilment centre.
Amazon union recognition
An Amazon spokesperson said: “We want to thank everyone who voted in this ballot. Across Amazon, we place enormous value on engaging directly with our employees and having daily conversations with them. It’s an essential part of our work culture. We value that direct relationship and so do our employees.
“This is why we’ve always worked hard to listen to them, act on their feedback, and invest heavily in great pay, benefits and skills development – all in a safe and inclusive workplace with excellent career opportunities. We look forward to continuing on that path with our team in Coventry.”
However, the GMB has accused Amazon of “bombarding” workers at the site with anti-union messages and pressuring union members to cancel their membership. The union has launched an inducement claim against the company.
Stuart Richards, GMB senior organiser, said: “Amazon bosses have created a culture of fear for low-paid workers trying to improve their pay, terms and conditions.
“We’ve seen workers pressured into attending six hours of anti-union seminars on top of the fortune spent by Amazon bosses to scare workers. Workers have been told they will get no pay rise this year and will have to lose even more benefits if they vote for union recognition.
“This kind of union-busting has no place in 21st century Britain; it’s clear Amazon cannot be trusted to play by the rules that all other companies in the UK are expected to follow.”
Amazon workers staged their first-ever strike in the UK in January 2023, with the GMB union seeking a pay increase to £15 per hour for its members. It went on to organise a further 37 days of industrial action over the past year.
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