An Amazon logistics platform in Hauts-de-France.

(Illustration) -

AFP

Amazon's SUD and CGT unions are demanding compensation for increased activity during confinement.

They are notably asking for an increase of two euros gross per hour and a bonus of 1,000 euros, while FO (not representative) called for an indefinite strike.

SUD (1st union at Amazon) and the CGT (3rd) claim an exceptional bonus of 1,000 euros for all employees, the establishment of two euros more per hour (as during the first confinement), and the maintenance at 100% the salary of people at risk who are partially employed during the Covid crisis.

The CFDT (2nd) asks, in addition to two euros more per hour, the hiring of 1,500 temporary workers on CDI and the stopping of shipments from warehouses located abroad.

Weekend strike calls

A first negotiation meeting was held on Monday without tangible results, according to these unions.

“We were told that the increases depended on Amazon's global policy,” lamented Jérôme Guillain, SUD delegate in Lauwin-Planque (Hauts-de-France).

SUD and the CGT call for a strike on compulsory weekends put in place during the peak of the end of the year.

Management asks employees to work four Saturdays or Sundays as desired before the holidays in overtime.

The end-of-year bonus (150 euros) is subject to this constraint.

According to the unions, work on weekends should be done on a voluntary basis.

FO, which is not participating in the negotiations, not being representative, has filed a strike notice to "try to be heard", according to its delegate Christophe Bocquet.

Next meeting November 16

For its part, the management of Amazon confirms having "recently received demands" and engaged "in negotiations with representative trade unions which began on November 9".

She adds that "worker safety is (her) priority and more than 150 processes have been adapted to protect all employees at our sites".

“The company is running at full speed, with the influx of temporary workers, the safety distances cannot always be respected,” said Jérôme Guilain (SUD).

Management ensures that the minimum distance of two meters between employees is respected and has decided to increase shuttles to large sites to avoid congestion.

A second negotiation meeting is scheduled for November 16.

Economy

Containment: Amazon France "has not yet decided" whether it will postpone the date of Black Friday

World

Brussels accuses Amazon of having violated European competition rules

  • Economy

  • Strike

  • Ecommerce

  • Amazon