Amazon Workers in Coventry Call for Union Recognition

Amazon workers in Coventry, U.K. are calling for union recognition after months of strikes over pay. The GMB union has announced that over half of the workers at the Coventry site are now members of the union, meeting the threshold for mandatory union recognition. The move would give workers the right to collective bargaining over pay and conditions, a first for Amazon. 

The GMB has been campaigning for Amazon to improve pay and conditions for workers across the company, and this latest move marks a significant step forward in the campaign. The union has called on Amazon to sit down and talk pay with the GMB, after weeks of campaigning and 14 days of strikes at the Coventry site. 

“The tide is turning for workers at Amazon. It’s time for the company to listen to its workers and work with unions to improve pay and conditions across the company. Amazon workers in the U.K. are standing up for their rights, and UNI Global Union stands with them,” said Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union.  

The Coventry site has seen significant strike action in recent months, as workers demand better pay and working conditions. The GMB has been campaigning for Amazon to improve pay across the company, arguing that workers are not paid enough to live. 

“After weeks of campaigning and 14 strike days, they’ve built the power of their union on site and are now in a position to file for recognition “said Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organizer. Amazon top brass has refused to negotiate and now their own workers have forced them to the table.” 

The campaign for union recognition at Amazon is part of a wider movement for workers’ rights across the company. Amazon has faced criticism in recent years over its treatment of workers, including allegations of poor working conditions and low pay. The company has also been accused of using anti-union tactics to prevent workers from organizing.