Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Amazon staff protests spread to multiple UK depots over pay dispute

Amazon staff protests spread to multiple UK depots over pay dispute

Workers say retailer offering ‘insulting’ pay rise given pandemic and cost of living crisis
Amazon workers at Tilbury in Essex have stopped working for the second day in a row as fury over the online retailer’s “insulting” pay rise offer spread to three other UK warehouses.

The GMB union said about 50 workers were gathered in the facility’s canteen on Friday in protest at the offer, which is an estimated 3% rise.

They said numbers have declined from the 700 protesting on Thursday because the company has been engaging in “divide and conquer” tactics by sending managers to meet and talk with smaller groups of workers.

Amazon confirmed these meetings were taking place and said it was in order to ensure that “all workers’ voices can be heard”.

It is understood that workers at the facility currently receive £11.10 an hour and are calling for an increase of £2, rather than the 35p that has been offered by the online retailer.

Amazon said staff were being offered £10.50 or £11.45 an hour depending on location and has defended its “competitive” pay package.

One worker from Tilbury said those in the warehouse had been anxious for some time about their pay because of increasing bills at home and had been expecting a “substantial increase” of at least £1 an hour.

“We have been there for them during the pandemic and made sure the country was connected. Amazon was one of the ways [Covid-19] tests were sent out to people and we have been there and made sure the country was running,” they said.

“For all this just getting 35p, it’s an insult. Its like 3% compared [with] skyrocket inflation and almost like getting a pay cut. I am getting stressed out and anxious just thinking about [high energy bills] and that 35p is not going to cover nothing.”

He said Amazon had told those who wished to protest by sitting in the canteen that they must clock off to do so – and hence they would not be paid for that time – leading to most people going back to work. However, he added, a number of colleagues were choosing to “go-slow” as a way to show their dissatisfaction with the pay offer.

Anger over the offer has spread to warehouses in Coventry, Bristol and Rugeley in Staffordshire.

The GMB union said on Friday that protests had spread to other depots including Tilbury, Dartford, Belvedere, Hemel Hempstead and Chesterfield. A spokesperson added that workers at a number of factories were slowing down their work to one package an hour.

Steve Garelick, a GMB regional organiser, said: “Amazon is one of the most profitable companies on the planet. They made a fortune through the pandemic when people were unable to shop on the high street. Now, with household costs spiralling, the least they can do is offer their workers decent pay.”

An Amazon spokesperson said it was not true that colleagues were performing a go-slow, and also denied claims of a spread of protests to other factories.

At the Avonmouth facility in Bristol, which employs about 1,500 staff, 300 workers are understood to have stopped working again on Friday after walking out for two hours yesterday.

A spokesperson for Amazon said: “Starting pay for Amazon employees will be increasing to a minimum of between £10.50 and £11.45 an hour, depending on location. This is for all full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary roles in the UK.

“In addition to this competitive pay, employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount among others, which combined are worth thousands annually, as well as a company pension plan.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×