Amazon has agreed to boost the average pay of frontline workers in the US, adding increasing pressure on the firm this side of the Atlantic.
The ecommerce giant said that starting next month it will boost pay from $18 to $19 (£16.60 to £17.60) per hour, while the transportation team would earn between $16 and $26 an hour.
The minimum wage at the company, which employs roughly 1.5 million frontline workers, will remain $15 an hour as it heads into the crucial Black Friday and Christmas period.
The decision comes as unionisation talk continues to grow in the US and UK.
Commenting on the US price hike, GMB Head of Policy and Research Laurence Turner told City A.M.:”Amazon is worried about running out of workers but it is offering real-terms pay cuts in both the UK and the USA.
“The company needs to recognise unions to tackle workers’ safety concerns and give workers their fair share.”
City A.M. have contacted Amazon to understand whether a similar pay bump will be applied in the UK for frontline workers.
Earlier this month, workers at a Coventry warehouse became the first in the UK to take part in a formal strike ballot against the titan.
Hundreds of workers continue to vote on whether to walk out over Amazon’s 35 pence per hour pay offer, with union GMB lobbying for a £2 per hour increase as the cost-of-living crisis continues to batter Brits.
The vote could mean 300 members of staff refuse to work, causing severe disruption for distribution at that centre.
Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, said voters were “making history”. “Amazon can afford to do better. It’s not too late to avoid strike action; get round the table with GMB to improve the pay and conditions of workers.”
More informal protests have also taken place over the last couple of months, including a two-night strike of warehouse workers in Tilbury, Essex last month.
For all the latest Lifestyle News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
