Amazon will take on thousands of staff to cope with Christmas rush

Online retail giant Amazon is planning to take on thousands of staff in the run up to Christmas.

The firm, which recently announced it is opening a corporate HQ in Manchester, is looking to take on 20,000 seasonal staff to help get deliveries to shoppers in time for Christmas.

Amazon has announced it is looking to take on 20,000 workers across the country and 1,500 of those will be working at its warehouse in Manchester.

While the High Street continues to suffer there is no sign of growth slowing down at the US owned giant.

Neil Travis, general manager at the Amazon’s Airport City fulfilment centre, said: “We look forward to welcoming 1,500 seasonal workers at Manchester to play an integral role in helping us deliver an exceptional experience for our customers during the Christmas season.

“We plan all year round for the festive period and the increase in people at our site to provide a positive work environment with a series of fun events that can be enjoyed by everyone.”

Stefano Perego, Amazon ’s director of UK customer fulfilment, added: “We look forward to welcoming back seasonal workers who return year-after-year to work at Amazon and welcome new faces to the seasonal team.”

Earlier this month, Amazon also announced that it is increasing its minimum wage to £9.50 and £10.50 for the London area.

Recruitment for seasonal roles is now underway through local recruitment agencies.