UK Amazon Workers Demanding Wage Increase Announce First 'Strike'

Demand for ?15 Per Hour Wage Increase from Management

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Pyeonghwa] For the first time in the UK, Amazon workers have announced a strike. These workers plan to carry out the strike demanding a wage increase to ?15 per hour.

According to foreign media reports including the BBC in the UK on the 16th (local time), the UK trade union GMB announced that it will go on strike at the Amazon logistics warehouse in Coventry, West England. The expected timing of the strike is January next year.

About 1,000 Amazon employees belonging to GMB working at the logistics warehouse chose to strike with a voter turnout of over 63% on the 15th. These employees temporarily stopped work in August and November demanding wage increases, but this is the first official strike.

Amanda Gearing, GMB Chief Organizer, said, "It is not too late for Amazon to avoid the strike," and urged, "Negotiate with GMB to improve workers' wages and conditions."

The employees are demanding a wage of ?15 per hour from the management. Earlier, Amazon announced a 3% wage increase this summer, setting the hourly wage at ?11.45.

In the UK, consumer prices have been rising rapidly due to increased energy costs and supply chain disruptions. With the current pace of interest rate hikes also fast, strikes are occurring in many places. Currently, public sector unions such as those in railways are striking demanding wage increases in line with inflation rates.

Meanwhile, in the US, Amazon logistics workers at the Staten Island facility in New York formed a union for the first time in April, drawing attention. This is the first union formed since Amazon's founding.

Amazon does not recognize the union. Last month, it received an injunction from the US Eastern District Court of New York to stop such activities, citing suppression of union activities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.