The GMB trade union have organised demonstrations across nine Amazon depots in the UK.
The campaign ‘ASBO for Amazon’ was launched as a response to what workers call:
“A culture of bullying and endemic harassment through the ‘dataveillance’ system.”
Amazon terminals direct employees from task to task, with no protocols agreed such as the work speed or how frequently workers should take a break.
The campaign also focuses on staff wages, workers receive just £6.20 an hour — one penny above the UK minimum wage. The companies tax arrangements and its refusal to allow union representation is also under scrutiny.
GMB’s national organiser, Paul Clarke, said:
“Our members at the company say the name Amazon has become a dirty word among friends and family. While everyone wants goods as cheap as possible, it’s now beginning to dawn on people the consequences of buying from tax-dodging companies who treat their staff so badly.
“Where [Amazon] differs from other retailers is its refusal to pay proper taxes or to treat its workers properly. Profitable companies like Amazon dodging fair taxes while failing to pay their staff a living wage and treat them properly deserve a corporate ASBO.
“This gives Amazon an unfair competitive advantage and is part of the reason why so many established high street names are going to the wall. GMB plan to strip away the high tech image and expose the exploitation involved in their business model.”