Amazon faces more strikes as new warehouses back industrial action

Workers in Amazon’s Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and Rugeley, Staffordshire, fulfilment centres will now participate in a binding vote on strike action.

The GMB union said it was launching two more strike ballots for members at the two centres to decide whether to take full industrial action.

GMB said over 150 workers at the two depots backed strikes in a consultative ballot. In Rugeley, 98% of members backed the action and 100% of members at Mansfield voted in favour of striking. 

Consultative ballots are still open at three other fulfilment centres in Coalville and Kegworth in Leicestershire and Rugby in Warwickshire.

The ballots at Rugeley and Mansfield will begin on May 12 and run until June 9.

The possibility of new strikes follows 14 days of strike action at Amazon’s Coventry depot where 700 workers walked out over pay and working conditions.

Workers in Coventry recently submitted a request for union recognition once GMB reached the membership threshold for mandatory recognition. This could develop into Amazon’s first union recognition in Europe.

GMB senior organiser Amanda Gearing said: “This is no time for sound bites but 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 has been approached for comment.