‘Fighting back’: Amazon UK faces prospect of further strikes as new warehouses begin industrial action ballots

Workers at Amazon’s fulfilment centres in Mansfield and Rugeley have begun voting on industrial action, the GMB union reports.

This follows 14 days of strike action at the US online retail giant’s Coventry depot, which saw as many as 700 workers down tools in the UK's first strike at an Amazon fulfilment centre.   

The ballots at Rugeley and Mansfield will run for four weeks until 9th June. As many as 150 workers are expected to be asked to vote.

Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, says: “Amazon workers are fighting back against a pay rise of pennies from one of the world's wealthiest corporations.”

“This escalation will now see workers in two further fulfilment centres asked to have their say on downing tools and walking out to deliver pay justice.”

“We’ve already seen enormous enthusiasm from workers at Mansfield and Rugeley to take action, now it will be up to their union to move forward with the campaign.”

“We warned Amazon that this could fast become a summer of strike chaos if they refused to sit down and talk pay. Amazon Coventry workers have risen up, now we are seeing a domino effect. With strike action escalating and historical union recognition on the horizon, it's time for Amazon to get real and get around the table."  

AMAZON RESPONDS

In response to the Coventty strike action, an Amazon 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).