New strike dates at Amazon's giant West Midlands fulfilment centre
The GMB union has announced further strike dates at two Amazon fulfilment centres in the Midlands.
The new £500 million centre at Minworth, near Sutton Coldfield, which opened in October will be hit on March 27 and 28.
The strike dates come just days after GMB members at the company submitted an application for mandatory recognition at Amazon to the Central Arbitration Committee.
The CAC – the government body responsible for regulating collective bargaining between workers and employers – can force companies to recognise a trade union if more than 50 per cent of the workforce are members.
Workers will also down tools at the company’s Coventry fulfilment centre on Tuesday, March 19 and the following day.
Rachel Fagan, GMB organiser, said: “Fresh strike action will be a huge blow to Amazon bosses, just days after workers made their bid for union recognition.
“Now two Amazon sites will take strike action this spring to force the company to listen to workers.
“Amazon bosses may have hoped this campaign would fade away, but instead union membership at Amazon has exploded as more and more workers are standing up to demand Amazon listens.
“When Amazon are ready to listen, the message they'll hear is simple; £15 an hour and union rights for UK Amazon workers”.
Amazon issued a statement saying: “We regularly review our pay to ensure we offer competitive wages and benefits. By April, our minimum starting pay will have increased to £12.30 and £13 per hour depending on location, that’s a 20 per cent increase over two years and 50 per cent since 2018.
"We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities. These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it’s their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career.”
