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More Amazon warehouse strikes to come after ‘insulting’ pay offer

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Amazon workers in Coventry to strike for six more days

Striking Amazon employees have pledged to continue to strike in response to an "insulting" new wage raise.

The action comes as Amazon said the minimum starting salary for its UK workers will be increased by at least 50p to between £11 and £12 per hour beginning in April.

According to the company, the actual amount will vary depending on the region.

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The offer comes after a run of strikes by Amazon warehouse workers in Coventry since January.

GMB members in the West Midlands are demanding at least £15 an hour to aid with the ongoing cost of living problem.

Amazon earlier enhanced base pay by 50p to a minimum of between £10.50 and £11.45 per hour last year and said over the past seven months it had gone up by 10 percent.

But Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, said: "We're listening to Amazon workers and the message is very clear: this new pay rate is an insult.

Read More: UK Amazon workers strike again in row over pay

"So, in response, we will be consulting over the next few days and announcing a new wave of action."

Striking worker Darren Westwood said: "Nobody believes that the extra 50p per hour we've won at Coventry is remotely enough to live on.

"We know we're worth more - that's why we will be stepping up the action and appealing to workers in other Amazon sites to join us in the strikes."

Read More: Amazon workers ‘determined to win’ company’s first ever UK strike

The statement comes as the UK National Living Wage - which does not apply to apprentices or workers aged under 23 - is set to rise by 9.7 percent in April to £10.42 an hour.

An Amazon spokesperson said: "Over the past seven months, our minimum starting pay has risen by 10%, and by more than 37% since 2018. We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities.

"These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it's their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career."

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GM said approximately 350 of Coventry's 1,400 employees were on strike.

It comes after the online retailer announced earlier this month that it intends to slash another 9,000 jobs globally, on top of the 18,000 already announced in January.

SourceSky News

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