The Essex fulfilment centre is the largest in the UK, and second largest in the world, measuring 2 million square foot. One striking worker said: “We have no union in Amazon.

Both union members and non-members are part of the strike. The GMB has a presence in the Tilbury warehouse, but there is no recognised trade union. GMB will support workers who are put through disciplinary procedures. “They are trying to do everything they can to control this,” said Garelick. When approached for comment about these allegations by Novara Media, an Amazon spokesperson said: “There have been no sackings or disciplinary actions.” Garelick said HR staff are scouring social media looking for protesters. “If they leave the premises they’re being told they will be dismissed at the moment,” he said. Garelick, said workers have been threatened with dismissal for protesting. One worker told Novara Media that management said workers would not get paid today if they were protesting and threatened staff that if they joined the strike they would be given a warning on “ADAPT” – the system that Amazon uses to track employee performance. “ know they’re doing wrong, they know they have upset people and rather than owning it and saying, ‘let’s sort this out’, they’re looking to try and kill what there is, and that’s standard ignorant behaviour as far as I’m concerned.” “Night shift is already coming in to make sure they can be in the canteen so that the company can’t pull a stunt and then lock that off. Steve Garelick, the GMB trade union’s regional organiser for logistics and gig economy, said that managers told striking workers, “‘Look, if one person stayed on behalf of everyone else they would talk to them’, and basically said, ‘piss off’.” Workers respond by shouting, “We are fine!” “First of all, it’s not very safe and I don’t think this is a nice experience for any of you,” they say. You wanted to make the point, you made the point,” the manager says. Video footage circulating on social media shows a large number of workers gathered in a canteen and an Amazon manager pleading with them to end their protest: “This is not going to get us anywhere. Higher paid “tier 3 associates” were offered a raise from £14.45 to £14.90. Images from an internal Amazon newsletter seen by Novara Media show that lowest paid “associates” – as Amazon calls its staff – were offered a raise of 35p from £11.10 to £11.45. All extra jobs for just 35p more.” An Amazon newsletter shows the pay offer to staff. So in a day a worker could be going to pack, then stow, then picking. Many workers are trained in multiple areas. Many workers felt it was shameful from Amazon Tilbury. During Covid we were required to still come in and work. “We have stopped working and we sat down in one of the main canteens here at Amazon warehouse.”Īnother worker said: “For everyone, rolling sentiment was, a kick in the teeth. We want our pay to be as per the current inflation rate. One worker said: “We are still protesting here.

They spoke anonymously for fear of reprisals from management. Workers spoke to Novara Media over social media from inside the Tilbury warehouse as they protested. One worker told the Birmingham Mail the offer was “an embarrassment”. At an Amazon warehouse in Rugeley, Staffordshire, workers have walked out over a 50p pay offer. The strike has already started to spread, according to reports. Union officials say that at one point on Thursday between 700 to 1,000 workers were protesting at the site where around 3,500 are employed. On Thursday morning, approximately 400 day-shift workers continued to protest. Workers on the night shift continued the strike. The strikes began on Wednesday afternoon after managers announced the pay rise which amounts to a real-terms pay cut with inflation. Workers at a huge Amazon warehouse complex in Tilbury, Essex, have been protesting in the cafeteria and refusing to work. Hundreds of Amazon workers are staging a wildcat strike over a “kick in the teeth” pay offer of 35p more per hour.

Amazon strike on prime day