Germany: giant Amazon faced with a wave of strikes by its employees

In Germany as elsewhere, Amazon has been a big winner from anti-Covid restrictions and especially store closures.

According to the services union, Verdi, the staff did not benefit from the growth of recent months, even denouncing a deterioration in working conditions during the health crisis.

DENIS CHARLET AFP / File

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2 min

E-commerce giant Amazon is facing a wave of strikes in several countries.

The unions are protesting in particular against the working conditions of employees.

Work stoppages began Monday in various logistics centers in Germany.

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With our correspondent in Berlin

,

Pascal Thibaut

In Germany as elsewhere,

Amazon

has been a big winner from anti-Covid restrictions and especially store closures.

The distribution giant, which employs 23,000 people, wants to recruit 5,000 additional employees this year.

Staff have not benefited from the growth of recent months, according to the services union Verdi.

Verdi denounces a deterioration of working conditions during the health crisis, barrier gestures not being sufficiently respected.

The organization has also long denounced Amazon's refusal to adhere to collective agreements of branches that would be more favorable to employees.

The company rejects these criticisms.

It evokes the 150 measures taken to fight the pandemic in these logistics centers and highlights the advantages that the staff would benefit from.

Six Amazon sites must be affected by the strike this week.

Verdi has chosen the period leading up to Easter when many orders need to be processed.

The company believes that the walkouts will have no consequences for its deliveries.

To listen: United States: Amazon accused by the State of New York of having exposed its staff to Covid-19

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  • Germany

  • consumption

  • Employment and Work

  • Economy

  • Coronavirus

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