News

New strikes for a collective agreement with the online retailer Amazon continue at the Amazon site in Bad Hersfeld.

From the night shift, UNI affiliate ver.di has called on employees of the two fulfilment centeres FRA1 and FRA3 for a two-day walkout. The strike begins with the night shift and ends on Wednesday, 03.18.15 with the late shift.

In the deadlocked pay dispute with Amazon, Verdi is now in the third year of conflict. Since April 2013, there continue to be strikes, initially only at the sites Bad Hersfeld and Leipzig, but lately the strikes have been expanded to include six (Graben, Rheinberg, Werne, Leipzig, Koblenz, Bad Hersfeld) of the eight sites with fulfilment centres. So far Amazon categoricallyrejects the conclusion of a collective agreement with Verdi.

Bernhard Schiederig, Regional Section Head of Verdi Commerce in the state of Hesse and responsible for collective bargaining prepares for a longer conflict: "We have a long breath and will continue to do actions. Amazon should expect our strike actions to become more flexible and for work processes to be repeatedly disturbed. At stand by our demand for a collective agreement with Amazon. "

Amazon, meanwhile, tries to burnish its image in the public and towards its customers. In some places, the company allows a look behind the scenes and invites media representatives, politicians and customers to visit the fulfilment centres. Amazon wants to present itself as a good employer. Even Amazon employees appear in the media to talk on behalf of the company. Verdi trade union official Mechtild Middeke comments: "A good employer does not unilaterally set wages and working conditions, but will negotiate with worker representatives. The eleven-member bargaining committee members from Verdi has offered itself to Amazon offers as a negotiating partner. With every strike we renew our offer to negotiate. The employees at Amazon do a good job that needs to be better paid. "