After a strike called by the Verdi union, Amazon employees at several locations in Germany have stopped working. According to Verdi spokesmen, the walkout began at the beginning of the night shift and is expected to last until Wednesday. Verdi did not name a planned end to the campaign. The union is demanding that Amazon recognize the collective bargaining agreement for the retail and mail order business and conclude a collective bargaining agreement. Amazon does not expect the walkouts to affect customers, the company said.
The strike call applies to a total of seven distribution centers in Graben near Augsburg, Leipzig, Koblenz, Rheinberg, Werne and at two locations in Bad Hersfeld. According to union information, around 700 employees initially took part in the strike in Bad Hersfeld in Hesse, 450 in Rheinberg and around 300 in Graben near Augsburg.
According to the union, the reason for the strike is Amazon’s “Prime Day” discount campaign, which begins on Tuesday (July 12). In its statement, the company pointed out that all employees at Amazon earn at least 12 euros per hour, and that the minimum wage is to rise to 12.50 euros per hour in autumn. After 24 months, the average salary of Amazon employees is around 2750 euros gross per month.
In fact, Amazon has anticipated the minimum wage increase to 12 euros per hour, it was also said by Verdi. However, by forgoing special payments such as Christmas and holiday bonuses and longer working hours, the actual income of employees often remained below that of colleagues in comparable companies. (dpa)