Amazon staff vote for six months of strikes

Amazon warehouse staff in Coventry have voted for six more months of strikes, the GMB has said.

It comes as 800 union members walked out on the 19th day of industrial action, with nearly 500 workers taking to the picket line on Wednesday.

Members are calling for an hourly pay rise from £10.50 to £15 following a 50p per hour pay offer from Amazon.

The retail giant said it regularly reviewed its pay offer to ensure it offered competitive wages and benefits.

Amazon's minimum starting pay for employees would be between £11 and £12 per hour, depending on location, it said.

Workers in Coventry first walked out in January - the first ever strike by Amazon employees in the UK.

GMB Union members also paid a visit to Parliament on Wednesday to discuss the matter with MPs.

Meanwhile, the union has withdrawn its bid for recognition at Amazon's Coventry warehouse, accusing the shopping giant of "dirty tricks".

It claimed it had surpassed the number of members needed to secure recognition at the site - but that Amazon had taken on 1,000 extra staff to scupper the bid.

Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, said: "The vote for six more months of strike action at Amazon Coventry shows these workers are in for the long haul.

"Hiring extra staff to deny workers their right to a voice in the workplace is an obstacle, but it is not unsurmountable.

"These workers are angry, they know their rights and they will not go away."

An Amazon spokesperson said its pay was above the national living wage and it had spent more than £125m on pay rises for UK hourly paid workers over the past seven months.

The firm said: "Over the past seven months, our minimum pay has risen by 10% and by more than 37% since 2018," they said.

"We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]