GMB union slams 'shocking' Co-op Amazon UK partnership
The GMB union has hit out at Co-op following the retailer’s announcement of a new partnership with Amazon.
The move is part of Co-op’s plan to more than double online sales from £70 million to £200 million by the end of the year.
The partnership with Amazon gives Prime customers the ability to do their full Co-op grocery shop on Amazon UK, with same-day delivery and two-hour scheduled time slots (included with Prime membership on orders over £40, and £3.99 for orders under £40, minimum value £15).
Initially launching in Glasgow – including surrounding areas such as Hamilton and Paisley - the initiative will be rolled out to other parts of the UK before the end of the year, with an ambition that it will become a nationwide service.
"It's really disappointing to see a company with a proud ethical heritage like Co-op teaming up with Amazon: a tax evading multinational with a horrifying health and safety record,” says Andy Prendergast, National Officer at GMB, a long-standing critic of the US e-commerce giant.
"Workers in Amazon warehouses are treated like robots. They are knocked unconscious, suffer broken bones and are taken away in ambulances in their desperate pursuit of unrealistic targets.”
He adds: "Meanwhile, Amazon has made billions throughout the pandemic and pays virtually no tax. Bosses won't even recognise a union to improve the health and safety of their beleaguered workforce.”
"Co-op customers will be rightly shocked by who the supermarket is getting into bed with."
No compromise
A Co-op spokesperson told RTIH: “We aren’t compromising our ethics and principles and the extension of the Amazon partnership is about getting our ethically sourced products into the hands of more people.”
“It reflects the support Co-op members have shown for Amazon’s products by using its lockers and Click and Collect services through hundreds of our stores for a number of years – including Amazon lockers in hundreds of stores.”
They concluded: “We also see major opportunities in co-operating with one of the world’s biggest tech companies to tackle some of the big issues, from climate change to youth skills and opportunities.”
Continued investment in the UK
Meanwhile, an Amazon UK spokesperson told RTIH: “We are proud to offer excellent pay, benefits and opportunities for career growth, all while working in a safe, modern work environment.”
“Our competitive wages start at between £10 and £11.10 per hour depending on location. We are proud that over 55,000 people have chosen Amazon as their employer in the UK and recommend Amazon as an excellent workplace to their family and friends.”
They added: “Our continued investment in the UK, £32 billion since 2010, helped contribute to a total UK tax contribution of £1.5 billion during 2020 – £492 million in direct taxes and £1.06 billion in indirect taxes.”
