Jobs boost for Amazon's Staffordshire base

Some 330 workers originally on temporary contracts at the site in Rugeley have been handed permanent contracts.

They are among the 800 new jobs nationwide announced by Amazon last October. Until now it had not been revealed how many would be in Rugeley.

"We originally expected to create 800 permanent roles before Christmas 2013 but in fact have actually been able to create almost 1,000 new roles across the UK in the last three months," said Catherine McDermott, Director of Operations at Amazon.co.uk Ltd.

"This means that in 2013 alone we have created more than 2,400 permanent positions in our UK fulfilment centres."

Cannock Chase MP Aidan Burley welcomed the new jobs. He said: "I am delighted that Amazon is continuing to invest in our area by creating 330 new permanent positions.

"When I visited the fulfilment centre last year I was able to meet some of the staff who had started out on a temporary basis, but had since become permanent, and it is great news that Amazon have now been able to offer the security of a permanent position to even more local people."

Councillor Gordon Alcott, portfolio leader for economic development and planning at Cannock Chase Council, added: "I am delighted with the creation of the permanent posts at Amazon in Rugeley, it's a great boost to our local economy. Not only does it give the employees security and stability, but it also shows Amazon's ongoing commitment to the area and their support for community initiatives over the last two years."