Amazon has reassured customers there will be no delays as staff in the UK prepare to go out on strike for the first time next week to push for a pay increase from the retail giant.
The vote in favour of formal strike action, which was finalised on December 16, 2022, marks the first time that Amazon staff in the UK will walk out.
Members of the GMB union voted for the strike action to commence, with 98% supporting the strike following a dispute over “the company’s 50p per hour pay offer”.
This comes after it was revealed that Amazon workers in the US are being paid $18 per hour, with UK staff now pushing for the company to hike their pay to £15 an hour.
A GMB spokesman confirmed that around 300 workers are expected to walk out on January 25, starting at 4am.
An Amazon spokesman said there would be zero impact on UK customers. He added: “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 strike comes less than two weeks after it emerged that Amazon is preparing to shutter three UK warehouses in Doncaster, Gourock and Hemel Hempstead, putting 1,200 jobs at risk.
Amazon has been adapting to challenging conditions in various markets and recently revealed that it would cut as many as 18,000 roles altogether.
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