Amazon workers announce more strike dates in bitter row over pay rise
One in four workers at an Amazon warehouse which is at the centre of strikes are due to stage a week-long stoppage.
The GMB union confirmed a fresh wave of dates for walk-outs at online giant Amazon’s depot in Coventry.
It marks a big step-up in the dispute, triggered by a 50p pay rise.
Since the first strike last month, the number of workers saying they will walk-out has risen to around 350.
The GMB claimed that amounted to a quarter of the Coventry site’s workforce.
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Walk-outs are planned for February 28 and March 2, then from Monday March 13 through to Friday March 17.
Amazon Coventry workers made history on January 25 when they became the first Amazon workers in the UK to strike.
Staff want their minimum wage of around £10.50 a hour to be raised to £15.
One striker, Darren Westwood, 57, said he had a black mark put on his record for being a minute late when logging back on after a 30-minute break.
He told the Mirror: “If we have an injury, it is treated as our own fault.
“If the robots break down, they have a team of engineers who fix them.”
Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “This unprecedented week-long strike shows the anger among Amazon workers in Coventry.
“They work for one of the richest companies in the world, yet they have to work round the clock to keep themselves afloat.”
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is worth £97billion .
The online heavyweight’s worldwide revenues jumped to £424billion last year
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Amazon said last month: “A tiny proportion of our workforce is involved.
“In fact, according to the verified figures, only a fraction of 1% of our UK employees voted in the ballot - and that includes those who voted against industrial action.
“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 per hour, depending on location.
“This represents a 29% increase in the minimum hourly wage paid to Amazon employees since 2018.
“ Employees are also offered comprehensive benefits that are worth thousands more—including private medical insurance, life assurance, subsidised meals and an employee discount, to name a few.”
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