Amazon workers strike at West Midlands site in long-running pay row

Members of the GMB union at the online giant’s Coventry receive site will walk out for three days, and again on November 24 – Black Friday.

The union announced that around 1,000 workers will be on strike after criticising a pay offer it said was worth £1 an hour.

Amazon confirmed no strikes were planned at the company's new state-of-the-art fulfilment site in Sutton Coldfield or Rugeley and a spokesperson said: "There will be no disruption to customers. Our Coventry site does not directly serve customer orders.”

The new £500 million fulfilment centre in Sutton is now operational and has a total of 1,400 employees, growing to 2,000 people within three years.

The arrival has coincided with the imminent closure of Amazon’s Rugeley fulfilment centre, whose staff, Amazon say, have been offered new roles at other sites.

On the Coventry strike move, Rachel Fagan, GMB organiser, said: “The action will hit some of Amazon’s busiest days in the lead-up to Black Friday and will bring total days lost to industrial action to nearly 30.

“This is an unprecedented and historic moment with low-paid workers taking on one of the world’s most powerful corporations.

“This is our members’ response to the failure of Amazon bosses to listen.

“Coventry is the beating heart of Amazon’s distribution network; strike action this week and on Black Friday will ripple throughout the company’s UK logistics.

“As Black Friday looms, Amazon must urgently reconsider their priorities or risk strike action causing widespread disruption to customers and the public.”

An Amazon spokesperson responded: “We regularly review our pay to ensure we offer competitive wages and benefits.

"By April 2024, our minimum starting pay will have increased to £12.30 and £13 per hour depending on location – that’s a 20 per cent increase over two years and 50 per cent since 2018.

"We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities.

"These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it’s their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career.”