According to the German services sector union Verdi, employees at a number of warehouses of the retailing giant Amazon in Germany started striking on Monday, as part of a long-running dispute with the US internet giant over improved compensation and better working conditions.
After the United States, Germany is the second largest market for Amazon, organizing strikes against Amazon operations in the nation had been initiated by Verdi, a prominent services sector union since 2013 to fight against the low pay rate and bad working conditions at the company’s warehouses.
The latest strike has been called in demands of a salary hike in accordance with the deals agreed by the union with Germany's larger retail and mail-order businesses, Verdi said.
Workers at three warehouses of the company in the German states of Saxony and Hesse went on a strike from Monday, which falls on All Saints' Day, which is a public holiday in certain German states, according to the union.
The union did not reveal the number of workers who participated in Monday's strike.
Amazon workers at four more warehouses of the company went on strike since early Tuesday with the strikes lasting anywhere from 24 hours to three days, according to Verdi.
"It is unacceptable that a multinational corporation worth billions and (which) makes money hand over fist still refuses to give employees the wage increases that other companies in the industry pay," Verdi representative Orhan Akman said in a statement.
The collective agreements for workers in the retail and mail-order industry should be recognized by Amazon, Verdi said it is demanding from the American retailer, in addition to reaching an agreement with it related to over fair working conditions.
It offers excellent pay, benefits, and career opportunities, Amazon has said in a statement. There was no visible impact of the strike in Germany on the services the company provides to its customers, Amazon said.
A wage of 12 euros ($13.9) per hour was pledged to be started for workers in its German warehouses in July this year, Amazon had said earlier this year, while also giving a guarantee of raising the wages to at least 12.50 euros per hour by fall 2022.
Compared to the current minimum hourly wage of 9.60 euros in Germany, the hourly rate is provided to its German workers by Amazon is higher.
However, if there is an agreement between the next coalition government of the country comprised of the center-left Social Democrats, the Greens, and the liberal Free Democrats, the minimum wage in the country is slated to rise to 12 euros an hour.
(Source:www.usnews.com)
After the United States, Germany is the second largest market for Amazon, organizing strikes against Amazon operations in the nation had been initiated by Verdi, a prominent services sector union since 2013 to fight against the low pay rate and bad working conditions at the company’s warehouses.
The latest strike has been called in demands of a salary hike in accordance with the deals agreed by the union with Germany's larger retail and mail-order businesses, Verdi said.
Workers at three warehouses of the company in the German states of Saxony and Hesse went on a strike from Monday, which falls on All Saints' Day, which is a public holiday in certain German states, according to the union.
The union did not reveal the number of workers who participated in Monday's strike.
Amazon workers at four more warehouses of the company went on strike since early Tuesday with the strikes lasting anywhere from 24 hours to three days, according to Verdi.
"It is unacceptable that a multinational corporation worth billions and (which) makes money hand over fist still refuses to give employees the wage increases that other companies in the industry pay," Verdi representative Orhan Akman said in a statement.
The collective agreements for workers in the retail and mail-order industry should be recognized by Amazon, Verdi said it is demanding from the American retailer, in addition to reaching an agreement with it related to over fair working conditions.
It offers excellent pay, benefits, and career opportunities, Amazon has said in a statement. There was no visible impact of the strike in Germany on the services the company provides to its customers, Amazon said.
A wage of 12 euros ($13.9) per hour was pledged to be started for workers in its German warehouses in July this year, Amazon had said earlier this year, while also giving a guarantee of raising the wages to at least 12.50 euros per hour by fall 2022.
Compared to the current minimum hourly wage of 9.60 euros in Germany, the hourly rate is provided to its German workers by Amazon is higher.
However, if there is an agreement between the next coalition government of the country comprised of the center-left Social Democrats, the Greens, and the liberal Free Democrats, the minimum wage in the country is slated to rise to 12 euros an hour.
(Source:www.usnews.com)
