
THREE more days of pay strikes at Amazon’s Coventry warehouse will have a huge impact on one of the online retail giant’s busiest weeks of the year, the GMB union warned today.
The walkouts on July 11, 12 and 13 will target the mega-rich US-owned firm’s annual Prime week event, when significant discounts are added to popular products to boost sales.
Almost 900 workers in the West Midlands are expected to join the latest strike in the historic dispute, which has seen British-based Amazon staff down tools for the very first time.
The dispute, launched in January following a derisory 50p hourly wage rise, has already led to 19 strike days.
GMB senior organiser Rachel Fagan said: “Prime week can see Amazon rake in as much as £2 billion in sales.
“It’s grotesque that in this context they’re denying low-paid workers the right to a wage that pays the bills.
“Our members have a simple message for the company: you can’t get human beings on the cheap.”
The firm has repeatedly claimed that it offers “competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and opportunities for career growth.”