AMAZON.COM-GERMANY/STRIKE Union increases pressure on Amazon with extended strikes.

Record ID: 341894

  • Title: AMAZON.COM-GERMANY/STRIKE Union increases pressure on Amazon with extended strikes.
  • Date: 19th December 2014
  • Summary: BAD HERSFELD, GERMANY (DECEMBER 19, 2014) (REUTERS) POLICE CARS DRIVING PAST STRIKING WORKERS STRIKING WORKERS UNDER UMBRELLAS VERDI UNION BANNER READING (German) "THIS ENTERPRISE IS BEING BOYCOTTED" VARIOUS OF AMAZON WAREHOUSE VARIOUS OF STRIKING WORKERS WORKERS SPEAKING INTO MICROPHONE STRIKING WORKERS MAN SPEAKING INTO MICROPHONE STRIKING WORKERS (SOUNDBITE) (German) STRIKING WORKER, GUENTER WYDRA, SAYING: "Amazon always employ seasonal workers in the fourth quarter, so-called Christmas help. They are trying to make it through to December 31 using them. And this year they employed many more than usual because they were expecting strikes." (SOUNDBITE) (German) STRIKING WORKER, FRANK HUETTEROTH, SAYING: "Hope dies last, and even though I know that there was a fifteen year fight at Ikea for a labour agreement, we have a long road ahead of us. Secondly, it is an American company, they don't care what union is here, they don't want to give up their power." (SOUNDBITE) (German) STRIKING WORKER, MARKUS HEERD, SAYING: "What are the sticking points? One of the sticking points is the labour conditions. If you believe the rumours there is talk of a wave of disciplinary threats, particularly against us union members, talk of abuse of management powers is also going around. There are a lot of unpleasant things going on and it's not on." STRIKING WORKERS POLICEMAN VARIOUS OF STRIKING WORKERS STRIKING WORKERS / AMAZON WAREHOUSE
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACOYT7YMKWT8GUZTBW2EZHXXCD
  • Story Text: Amazon staff at three German warehouses will extend their strike until Christmas Eve to increase pressure on the online retailer in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions, labour union Verdi said on Friday (December 19).
    Industrial action this week had already been extended until Saturday in four of Amazon's nine distribution centers in Germany and until December 24 at one warehouse.
    More than 2,400 workers took part in walkouts on Friday, Verdi said, but Amazon has refused to budge.
    "Amazon always employ seasonal workers in the fourth quarter, so-called Christmas help. They are trying to make it through to December 31 using them. And this year they employed many more than usual because they were expecting strikes," striking worker Guenter Wydra said.
    The union has organised frequent strikes at Amazon in Germany since May 2013 as it seeks to force the retailer to raise pay for warehouse workers in accordance with collective bargaining agreements across Germany's mail order and retail industry.
    Amazon has repeatedly rejected the union's demands, saying it regards warehouse staff as logistics workers and that they receive above-average pay by the standards of that industry.
    "Hope dies last, and if I know that there was a fifteen year fight at Ikea for a labour agreement, we have a long road ahead of us. Secondly, it is an American company, they don't care what union is here, they don't want to give up their power," striking worker Frank Huetteroth said.
    Verdi has filed a lawsuit against a decision by regional authorities to allow Amazon staff in two German cities to work this Sunday as the mail-order group steps up efforts to deliver orders to customers before the Christmas holiday.
    Verdi said that the lawsuit filed against Amazon meant that the authorities' approval of the group putting its employees to work this Sunday was effectively void.
    "What are the sticking points? One of the sticking points is the labour conditions. If you believe the rumours there is talk of a wave of disciplinary threats, particularly against us union members, talk of abuse of management powers is also going around. There are a lot of unpleasant things going on and it's not on," striking worker Markus Heerd said
    The U.S. company employs almost 10,000 regular staff at its warehouses in Germany, its second-biggest market behind the United States, as well as more than 10,000 seasonal workers. It can also draw on 19 other warehouses across Europe.
    Amazon said on Wednesday that its deliveries had not been delayed by industrial action so far and that it had even extended to midday on December 22 the order deadline for gifts to reach customers in time for December 24 by normal delivery.
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