HUNDREDS of Amazon workers and GMB union members are set to protest outside the firm’s Coventry fulfilment centre today over pay and conditions during the cost-of-living crisis.
The protests are being held to demand Amazon pays workers in Coventry £15 an hour, who feel their current wage isn’t high enough during the cost-of-living crisis.
Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, said Amazon workers in the city are ‘overworked, underpaid and they’ve had enough.’
She added: “Last September, Amazon reported paying £492m in tax the previous year – despite UK revenue soaring to £20.6billion in the pandemic.
“They’ve been given a 50p an hour pay rise during the worst cost of living crisis in a generation – and that’s from a company worth more than £1 trillion.
“We are here today to tell Amazon; if you want to keep your empire going, talk to GMB to improve the pay and conditions of workers.”
An Amazon spokesperson said: “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 per cent 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.
“On top of this, we’re pleased to have announced that full-time, part-time and seasonal frontline employees will receive an additional one-time special payment of up to £500 as an extra thank you.”
