THE GMB union is staging Black Friday and Cyber Monday protests in Warrington and Bolton in anger at the “appalling” treatment of workers.
Demonstrations are taking place today outside the Amazon warehouse in Bolton and on Monday at the Warrington warehouse on Monday afternoon.
The union claims Amazon workers in fulfilment centres are breaking bones, being knocked unconscious and taken away in ambulances, while pregnant women workers report being treated appallingly.
GMB investigations into Amazon working practices have revealed:
• More than 600 ambulance call outs to Amazon warehouses over a three year period.
• More than 600 serious incidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive for injuries including fractures, head injuries, contusions and collisions with heavy equipment
• GMB members report targets being so horrific they have to use plastic bottles to urinate in instead of going to the toilet, and pregnant women have been forced to stand for hours on end
• At least one pregnant woman reporting losing a pregnancy at work, saying an ambulance was not called, and she went home on the bus, with her co-workers in blood stained clothes
• More than 80 per cent of Amazon workers responding to that survey said they were in some form of constant pain in their body joints.
Mick Rix, GMB National Officer, said:
“GMB is staging protests at various Amazon sites across the North West on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
“The conditions our members work under at various Amazon sites are appalling.
“Workers are breaking bones, being knocked unconscious and being taken away in ambulances.
“Amazon has spent a fortune on fluffy adverts saying what a great place it is to work. Why not spend the money making their warehouses less dangerous places to work?
“Amazon workers want Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to know they are people – not robots.
“It’s about time Mr Bezos showed empathy with the very people that have helped build his vast empire and make sure it is not a Black Friday for Amazon workers.”
Black Friday demonstration at Amazon
11 Comments
1 Comment
If anyone asks me how I get treated at Amazon? My honest answer would be it is a great place to work. Yes, Accident can be happened at workplace, but I have seen Amazon always serious about safety issues and they are continually working on it to improve it. Also, I have never done or seen anyone to use plastic bottle to urinate in instead of going to the toilet because of the target. Btw, I am a normal associate and I do not have any target when I work on the floor.