Amazon UK fulfilment centre workers in Coventry make history as they go on strike

Hundreds of workers will stage the first ever Amazon strike in the UK today.

Employees at the e-commerce giant’s fulfilment centre in Coventry have walked out over its 50 pence per hour pay offer (offering them £10.50)..  

An industrial action ballot saw a majority of more than 98% of workers vote to strike, according to the GMB union.

Stuart Richards, GMB Senior Organiser, says: “These workers have defied the odds to become the first ever Amazon workers in the UK to go on strike.”

"They’re taking on one of the world’s biggest companies to fight for a decent standard of living. They should be rightly proud of themselves.”

“After six months of ignoring all requests to listen to workers’ concerns, GMB urges Amazon UK bosses to do the right thing and give workers a proper pay rise.” 

Amazon responds

Amazon has countered by arguing that we’re taking about a small number of staff at the Coventry warehouse: 178 out of around 2,100 employees.

A spokesperson told RTIH: “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.”

The spokesperson added that normal operations will continue at the site and across Amazon’s UK wide network.

They insisted that there will be zero impact to customers (the site is not a fulfilment centre that directly services customer orders – rather, it provides stock to UK fulfilment centres).