Union continues bid for recognition vote at Amazon Coventry warehouse
GMB Union has announced that the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), the Government body overseeing worker-employer negotiations, has sided with GMB’s request for a union recognition vote at the Coventry Warehouse of Amazon.
After more than a year of protests and thirty strike days, the CAC concluded that most workers likely support union recognition.
If the union is recognised, Amazon will be obliged to negotiate with GMB on matters like wages, hours, and holidays.
This development follows recent revelations of anti-union tactics at the Coventry site, where workers were bombarded with anti-union messages by company leaders.
The CAC will appoint an independent organisation to conduct the vote, with details expected in the coming weeks.
Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, said: “From day one of GMB’s fight for union rights at Amazon it has been a modern-day David and Goliath battle. One year on this is a truly historic moment as workers stand up against the company’s relentless anti-union propaganda.
“Workers have won against the odds and will now be given a legally binding say on forming Europe’s first recognised union at Amazon. Amazon bosses have been sent a clear and unapologetic message from their own workers that they refuse poverty pay and unsafe working condition; they demand dignity at work and a union to represent them”.
A spokesperson from Amazon, said: “Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have. We regularly review our pay to ensure we offer competitive wages and benefits. Our minimum starting pay has increased to £12.30 and £13 per hour depending on location, that’s a 20% increase over two years and 50% since 2018. We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities. These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it’s their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career.”
