Amazon workers went on strike in several locations across Europe on Friday, amid protests against the American e-commerce giant’s labor practices on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
The “Make Amazon Pay” campaign, coordinated by UNI Global Union, said strikes and protests would take place in more than 30 countries starting on “Black Friday” – the day after the US holiday. from Thanksgiving Day, when many retailers lower prices to boost sales – until Monday.
Originally known for the crowds lining up at big-box retailers in the United States, “Black Friday” has increasingly moved online and gone global, fueled in part by Amazon, which this year is announcing ten days of holiday discounts. November 17 to 27.
In Germany, Amazon’s second-biggest market by sales last year, the Verdi union said around 250 workers were on strike at an Amazon warehouse in Leipzig on Friday, around 20% of the workforce, and 500 went on strike. strike in a warehouse in Rheinberg – almost 40% of the workers.
The union reported that the 24-hour strike at five distribution centers in the country had begun at midnight on Thursday to demand a collective wage agreement.
An Amazon spokesman in Germany said only a small number of workers were on strike, and that workers are paid fair wages, with a starting wage of more than 14 euros ($15.27) per hour. The spokesperson said deliveries of “Black Friday” orders would be reliable and on time.
In Coventry, England, more than 200 workers were on strike Friday at an Amazon warehouse as part of a long-running pay dispute.
Nick Henderson, a worker at the Coventry warehouse, which acts as a fulfillment center for Amazon to process products it sends to other warehouses, said he was on strike to demand higher pay and better working conditions.
The striking workers chanted their demand for a wage increase to 15 pounds (US$18.69) an hour.
An Amazon UK spokesperson said the starting minimum wage is between £11.80 and £13 an hour, depending on location, and would rise to between £12.30 and £13 an hour from April 2024. Amazon said the strike would not cause interruptions.
In Italy, there were conflicting reports about participation in the strike. The CGIL union said more than 60% of workers at Amazon’s Castel San Giovanni warehouse went on strike on Friday, but Amazon said more than 86% of workers came to work and there has been no impact on operations. .
The Spanish union CCOO called Amazon warehouse and delivery workers to strike for one hour in each shift on “Cyber Monday,” the last day of Amazon’s ten-day sales.
In France, Amazon lockers – located in train stations, supermarket parking lots and on street corners, and used by many customers to receive their orders – were also the target of demonstrations.
In Paris and other French cities, posters and tape were placed on lockers, said the anti-globalization organization Attac, which planned the protest.
Attac, who calls “Black Friday” a “celebration of overproduction and overconsumption,” said he expects the protest to be broader than last year, when he estimated 100 Amazon lockers across France were attacked.
Amazon has maintained its popularity in Europe despite the rapid growth of rivals such as Shein and Temu. Amazon’s app had 146 million active users in Europe in October, compared to Shein’s 64 million and Temu’s 51 million, according to data.ai.
Source: Gestion
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