Employees at an Amazon logistics centre in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, declared a strike on December 21 with the Verdi trade union announcing that at least 500 workers from the Company would take part in the strike. Verdi is trying to push Amazon to take notice of their collective agreements, commonly signed between the trade unions of Germany and their employer companies.
Verdi alleges that Amazon continues to pocket profits and is not paying its employees the minimum according to the agreement forged between them. Additionally, the workers are suffering from health issues due to the stress from delivering packages during the pandemic.
The strike had begun on December 20 midnight for Rheinberg and Werne, with initially 500 workers who later joined by 300 workers from Werne. The trade union gathered momentum in six locations across Germany and is expected to last until Christmas Eve.
This strike is also a means to push for better health and safety regulations in the workplace, at least for the workers in the Amazon logistics centres. The German trade union further alleged that Amazon had always refrained from signing such agreements.
Amazon defended its own case the same day stating that its employees already benefit from a good wage system, fringe benefits and career progression opportunities. The Company also mentioned that the workers’ health and safety were its top priority. The US multinational has assured its customers that the strike will not hamper its regular workflow, at least not till Christmas, as most of their employees are still working.
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