Amazon workers announce series of strikes at warehouse in pay dispute

Members of the GMB union during a rally outside the Amazon fulfilment centre in Coventry in January. Credit: PA

Amazon workers have announced a series of strikes at one of the company’s warehouses in a dispute over pay.

The GMB union said more than 350 staff at the fulfilment centre in Coventry will walk out on February 28, March 2 and from March 13 to 17.

The union said its members made history last month by becoming the first Amazon workers in the UK to strike in their campaign for a pay rate of £15 an hour.

Members of the GMB union, on the picket line outside the Amazon fulfilment centre in Coventry, in January. Credit: PA

Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, said the “unprecedented” strikes showed the anger among Amazon workers in Coventry.

She said: “They work for one of the richest companies in the world, yet they have to work round the clock to keep themselves afloat.

“It’s sickening that Amazon workers in Coventry will earn just 8p above the national minimum wage in April 2023.

“Amazon bosses can stop this industrial action by doing the right thing and negotiating a proper pay rise with workers.”

Why Amazon's first ever UK strike matters

The comments come after it was revealed by ITV News last December that staff at one of the company's vast warehouses in Coventry had voted to down tools in a dispute over pay. The ballot, which was held among around 300 workers, attracted a 63% turnout - well above the necessary threshold, with 98% voting to strike. The latest strike announcement comes amid a wave of industrial action over pay, jobs and conditions across an array of sectors, including transport, education and health.

An Amazon spokesperson has previously said in regard to strike action:

“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.”

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