German workers at Amazon have decided to strike today, during bargain day Prime Day. The staff have been fighting for years for better working conditions and higher pay.
Workers in several distribution centres in Germany are laying off work all day, on one of the busiest days for Amazon, and strikes are also expected in Spain and Poland next week. Due to the strike in Germany, Dutch orders may also be delayed. Amazon mostly serves Dutch consumers from its distribution centre in Rheinberg, near the Dutch border.
'Working conditions Amazon lead to health problems'
"Long shifts, paths of kilometres long, monotonous work and severe physical and mental stress cause a number of health problems. That is why workers are demanding contractually regulated measures to relieve the pressure," said union ver.di in a statement.
Read also: Returns scandal: Amazon destroys products on a large scale
Staff strike traditionally
This is not the first time Amazon workers have gone on strike. In doing so, they usually choose busy periods, such as Black Friday and the Christmas period. However, Amazon is not bowing to the demands of distribution staff. In recent years, there has traditionally been a strike during each Christmas period, but it has so far failed to improve working conditions.
