Amazon hit by ‘Black Friday’ strikes in Europe

LONDON: Amazon was hit by strikes at various locations in Britain, Germany and Italy during the annual “Black Friday” shopping extravaganza as workers demand higher wages and better working conditions.

UNI Global Union said Amazon would face strikes and protests in more than 30 countries around the world, including the United States, as part of a “Make Amazon Pay” campaign.

“Workers know that it doesn´t matter what country you´re in or what your job title is. We are all united in the fight for higher wages, an end to unreasonable quotas and a voice on the job,” said Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union.

“That´s what workers in Coventry are striking for and that is why workers around the world are standing up to Make Amazon Pay,” Hoffman said.

Held the day after the US Thanksgiving holiday, “Black Friday” is increasingly copied in Europe and beyond, with stores offering big discounts to kick off shopping for the holiday gift-giving season.

More than 1,000 workers went on strike at an Amazon hub in Coventry, England, which employs 2,300 people and supplies other warehouses, said Stuart Richards, spokesman for the GMB union.

In Germany, the industrial action called by Union Verdi began in the night to Friday, affecting five out of the US e-commerce giant´s 20 logistic sites in Europe´s biggest economy.