Workers at Amazon’s warehouse in Coventry are set to walk out tomorrow, making it the first-time British employees of the e-commerce giant have headed to the picket line.
An estimated 300 workers will strike from 4 am-8 am and again from 4 pm-8 pm tomorrow in a pay dispute.
Employees expressed anger over the company’s offer of a 50p per hour pay increase that was proposed last Summer.
Union members voted 98% in favour of industrial action, according to GMB, the union representing that disgruntled employees.
The trade union has been asking for £15 an hour for employees, almost a 50% increase on the current £10.50 hourly wage.
Amazon, as well as the 50p wage increase, offered all staff a one-off payment of £500 in December to help combat the economic difficulties many are facing.
Despite support from local MP Taiwo Owatemi and Derrick Palmer, vice-president of the US Amazon Labour Union, the company does not appear affected by the strikes.
It claims the strikers represent a small portion of the Coventry warehouse workforce and that the walkout will have no effect on operations.
Amazon is yet to enter talks with the union but Stuart Richards, a GMB Union official for the Midlands, hopes tomorrow’s action will get workers “one step closer to dragging Amazon bosses, kicking and screaming, to talk to us.”