GMB steps up Coventry fulfilment centre battle with Amazon UK as it seeks union recognition

The GMB union says that it has started the process for union recognition at Amazon Coventry, after two weeks of pay rise related strike action by workers at the fulfilment centre.

Almost 700 Amazon Coventry workers are now GMB members, a number the union believes is more than half of workers at the site – the usual threshold for mandatory union recognition in a workplace.

It states that Amazon bosses have 10 days to respond and agree voluntary recognition. If there is no agreement, GMB will start the statutory process through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC).

This would be the first-time workers at a UK Amazon site have won recognition of a trade union for collective bargaining over pay, terms and conditions.

Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, says: “GMB members have been crystal clear since the start of their campaign; they will not accept a pay rise of pennies from one of the world’s wealthiest corporations.”

“After weeks of campaigning and 14 strike days, they’ve built the power of their union on site and are now in a position to file for recognition.”

She adds: “Amazon top brass has refused to negotiate and now their own workers have forced them to the table.”

“With industrial actions ballots under way in five further Amazon depots and more and more Amazon workers joining GMB, managers fast risk this becoming a summer of strike chaos for the company.”

“The time has come for Amazon to sit down and talk pay with the GMB.”

AMAZON RESPONDS

In response to the strike action, a spokesperson told RTIH earlier this year: “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 Coventry site is not a fulfilment centre that directly services customer orders – rather, it provides stock to UK fulfilment centres).