French unions call for second strike following breakdown in negotiations
After the historic strikes on 11 June in Saran, with over 250 employees going on strike, Confédération Genérale du Travail (CGT), Force Ouvrière (FO) and l’Union Syndicale Solidaires (SUD) led calls for Amazon.fr employees to strike again on 20 June in order to bring Amazon back to the negotiation table.
Management refused to budge on their position that there would be no reopening of annual negotiations. Subsequently, the CGT, FO and SUD invited the Confédération Française Démocratique de Travail (CFDT) to join them on strike on 20 June at the Saran plant in the interest of French Amazon workers’ rights.
On June 11, French Amazon workers across the country joined their German counterparts by embarking on a strike, after Amazon ignored the legitimate concerns of their workers. Dissatisfaction with Amazon’s labour practices continues to spread across Europe, and their latest failure to listen to their workers in France forced French French Amazon workers to go on strike, supported by their union Confédération Genérale du Travail (CGT), Force Ouvrière (FO) and Union Syndicale Solidaires (Solidaires)
After a meeting on 4 June, talks between French unions and the company broke down. This collapse in talks further illustrated the disparity between the needs of Amazon workers, and the unacceptable direction the company continues to take.
Amazon workers’ demands include:
· The right to decent salaries to live with dignity.
· 13th month salary in 2014.
· Proper definitions of work schedules including the length of breaks and working hours.
· Replacement of the existing “clocking in” system.
UNI Europa Regional General Secretary, Oliver Roethig said, “Amazon must change the way they operate on a national and international level. The latest strike in France underlines growing worker disillusionment with the company across Europe.”
Head of UNI Commerce, Alke Boessiger said, “We invite Amazon to come to the negotiating table in Germany and France on a national level, and with UNI on a global level in order to establish proper labour relations.”
“We believe that a global company needs a global policy to handle issues of worker rights, and we are fully backing the demands of Amazon’s workers in France and in Germany for fair conditions and respect.”