Amazon workers made themselves heard again during Black Friday. Globally, protests against 'inhumane working conditions' were held at the giant's distribution centres.
During the shopping day, hundreds of workers protested at distribution centres in the UK. Distribution staff also took to the streets in Spain and France last weekend.
'They are not robots'
British trade union GMB Union criticised the way Amazon treats its staff, previously calculating that 600 ambulances had to be dispatched to the online player's UK distribution centres in the past three years. "The conditions in which our members work at Amazon are downright inhumane. They break bones, become unconscious and are taken away in ambulances. We stand up and say, 'Enough is enough'. These are people making money for Amazon. People with children, homes, bills to pay - they are not robots."
Strikes are more frequent at Amazon around busy periods. In Germany, too, warehouse workers lay down work almost every year around the Christmas period.
Amazon refutes allegations
Amazon is not impressed by GMB's accusations. "All our locations are safe places to work. Reports claiming the opposite are not true. According to the UK government, Amazon has on average more than 40 per cent fewer accidents than other transport and warehousing companies in the UK. We encourage everyone to compare our working conditions with others and come and see for yourself at one of the tours we offer every day at our UK centres.
Amazon further denies that the strikes have caused disturbances in delivery. "Our European fulfilment network is fully operational and we remain focused on delivering to our customers," he said. Reports refuting this are simply not true."
