{"id":89529,"date":"2023-03-31T12:31:05","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T12:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2023\/03\/31\/amazon-workers-in-coventry-announce-six-more-strike-dates\/"},"modified":"2023-03-31T12:31:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-31T12:31:05","slug":"amazon-workers-in-coventry-announce-six-more-strike-dates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2023\/03\/31\/amazon-workers-in-coventry-announce-six-more-strike-dates\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon workers in Coventry announce six more strike dates"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Amazon workers in Coventry – the first in the UK to strike – face another six days of industrial action in an ongoing wage dispute.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The strikes by GMB union members will take place on April 16-18 and April 21-23. It follows action earlier this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The GMB has called for a wage increase from \u00a310.50 to \u00a315 an hour, although the US company does not recognize the union. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Amazon said its minimum wage has increased more than 37% since 2018, as have other benefits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The firm has previously said only a “tiny fraction” of its Coventry workforce is involved in the dispute.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The GMB told the BBC it was on the verge of hiring enough workers for Amazon to recognize a union for the first time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It also said it asked members at five other Midlands sites to vote on whether they would be willing to engage in industrial action. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Could Amazon recognize a UK union for the first time?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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At the moment Amazon does not recognize the GMB and will therefore not deal with them, but the union is hoping that will soon change at the Coventry warehouse. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It says it’s on the verge of signing up enough members on the site for the company to recognize them. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The GMB union estimates that 1,300 people work at the camp, of whom 560 are union members. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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If the union succeeds in hiring more than half of the workforce, it will apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for \u201clegal recognition\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The GMB recruits an average of 30 people a day to join the union on strike days. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Regarding legal recognition, the CAC says: \u201cThe basic principle is that recognition is granted if a majority of workers in the bargaining unit so desires\u2026 The CAC can, without a vote, declare the union recognized if more than 50% of the workers in the bargaining unit are union members.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Voting is taking place online to assess the level of support for strike action.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hundreds of workers at Mansfield in Nottinghamshire; Coalville in Leicestershire; Kegworth in Leicestershire; Rugeley in Staffordshire; and Rugby in Warwickshire will take part in the vote, the union said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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However, labor disputes at these locations could only take place if the union then carried out another postal vote, the majority of which ended in favor of a strike. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A spokesman for Amazon said it regularly reviews wages and announced a pay rise for British workers in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Minimum wages for employees have increased by 10% over the past seven months and by more than 37% since 2018, they added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities,” the spokesman said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Follow BBC West Midlands on <\/i>Facebook, <\/i>Twitter<\/a> And <\/i>Instagram. Submit your story ideas to: <\/i>newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk<\/p>\n<\/div>\n