German trade union threatens to go on strike at two of Amazon’s logistics centers on Christmas

Christmas marks the busiest time of the year for online and offline retailers alike. Just days ahead of the festival, two of the Amazon logistics centers in Germany have been hit by a labor union’s threat of a strike if the online retail giant doesn’t agree to increase wages.

Verdi Demands The Current Holiday Bonuses Be Quadrupled

The berlin-based labor union, Verdi, is reportedly inviting Amazon’s employees from all over Germany to go on a strike unless their demand for better working conditions isn’t met. As per the union’s statement on Sunday, it aims at increasing the pressure on Amazon for collective wage bargaining by threatening to go on a strike during the high-turnover days of Christmas. The union also expressed its demand that the current $441 in holiday bonuses must be quadrupled for the employees starting with the upcoming Christmas.

As per the sources, the strike is likely to start from today (Monday) and end on Saturday. Germany has the reputation of being the second-largest market for Amazon. The tech company’s Bad Hersfeld based logistics centers, therefore, are expected to take a huge blow if the union proceeds with its plan of a one-week strike, according to the analysts.

The strike is currently presided by the Mechthild Middeke who commented in a statement that Christmas marks the time that puts the most burden on the employees, pushes them to do overtime, and consequently, increases the level of job-related stress. The union, he added, is only looking for a well-deserved compensation and recognition for the employees’ hard work during this time.

Similar strikes among Amazon’s employees date back to 2013. Owing to a limited number of participants, however, Amazon has reiterated on multiple occasions that the effect on productivity was largely confined. Covering 35 sites in total, Amazon currently employs a total of 20,000 workers in Germany.

Amazon Plans On Launching 11 New Distribution Centers In Germany

Amazon spokesman announced in September that the online retail giant has started to expand its logistics arm in Germany via hiring new delivery drivers. The company, he added, also plans on launching 11 new distribution centers in Germany.

Amazon is currently aimed at building its own logistics that cover air, land, and sea operations. According to the analysts, it will help the company minimize the shipping costs to a great extent. Amazon’s spokesman also expressed confidence in Bad Hersfeld’s logistics centers to be one of the best employers for the workers. It is unlikely for the parcels to see a delay in delivery, he commented, as the majority of workers will continue to serve their roles in handling customer orders.

Earlier in 2019, German police submitted substantial evidence that drivers were either incorrectly deducting taxes or weren’t being paid the minimum wage in the first place.