As part of a long-running battle with the US tech giant over better pay and working conditions, workers at some Amazon warehouses in Germany began strike action on Monday, services union Verdi said.
Germany is of amazon Verdi, the largest market after the United States, and a major service sector union, has been organizing strikes at Amazon sites in the country since 2013 to protest low wages and poor conditions.
Verdi said it had called the latest strike to demand wage increases in line with union agreements with the broader retail and mail-order industries in Germany.
The union said workers at three Amazon warehouses in the states of Saxony and Hesse would go on strike on Monday to coincide with All Saints’ Day, a public holiday in some German states.
It cannot be said how many workers joined the strike on Monday.
Vardi said that workers at four more places will go on strike early Tuesday and the strike will last from 24 hours to three days.
Verdi’s representative Orhan Akman said in a statement, “It is unacceptable that a multinational corporation worth billions and (that) makes a handful of money yet refuses to pay employees the pay increases that other companies in the industry pay.” does.”
Verdi said it wants Amazon to recognize collective agreements in the retail and mail order industry, and to reach an agreement with Amazon on fair working conditions.
Amazon said in a statement that it offers excellent pay, benefits and career opportunities.
The company said that it does not see any impact on the customers due to the strike.
Earlier this year, Amazon said it would guarantee an hourly entry-level wage of 12 euros (about Rs 1,040) at its German warehouses from July, up from at least 12.50 euros (about Rs 1,080) by autumn. per hour will increase. 2022.
Amazon’s salary is higher than Germany’s current minimum wage of EUR 9.60 (approximately Rs 830) per hour. However, Germany’s minimum wage is increased to 12 euros (about Rs 1,040) if an agreement is reached by the next coalition government of the centre-left Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberal Free Democrats.
© Thomson Reuters 2021
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