Workers at two Amazon fulfilment centres in England to engage in strike as part of an ongoing pay dispute

Britain’s GMB trade union declared that more than a thousand workers at two Amazon fulfillment centers in England are planning to participate in strike action in early August due to an ongoing pay dispute. This strike is expected to have broader implications, indicating a prolonged battle for workers’ rights within Amazon.

Rachel Fagan, the Senior Organizer at GMB, asserted that the industrial action will extend further, signifying that the fight for workers’ rights at Amazon is just beginning.

According to the union’s schedule, employees at the Rugeley facility will initiate the strike on August 3rd and 4th, while those at the Coventry center will take action on August 4th and 5th.

The strikes aim to draw attention to concerns over wages and benefits at the company. However, in response to the looming strikes, Amazon defended its position on employee compensation. A company spokesperson highlighted recent pay increases, stating that the minimum pay has risen by 10 percent in less than a year and by over 37 percent since 2018. Amazon emphasized that it regularly reviews its pay structure to ensure competitive wages and attractive benefits for its workforce.

This forthcoming strike is not an isolated incident. In June, the GMB trade union reported that Amazon workers in Coventry, who had already conducted multiple walkouts since January, voted in favor of extending industrial action for an additional six months.

The ongoing dispute in England contributes to the ongoing discussions and debates surrounding workers’ rights and corporate responsibility. Additionally, nearly a thousand airport workers at Gatwick Airport in England are also planning to strike over pay issues in August.

Approximately 950 airport workers employed by four firms – ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS, and DHL Services – providing services like baggage handling, ground handling, and check-in work for multiple airlines, including British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Tui, Westjet, and Wizz, will initiate the strike from Friday, July 28th, and it will last until Tuesday, August 1st. Subsequently, they will strike again from Friday, August 4th, to Tuesday, August 8th.