The strike will coincide with Amazon’s Prime Day event, which is when the eCommerce giant typically sees a significant surge in online orders.
“Our active colleagues, who have been fighting for years for a collective pay agreement with Amazon, deserve our respect for the courage they keep showing in this confrontation with the employer,” said Verdi official Stefanie Nutzenberger.
The union argues that while Amazon has continually increased wages for German workers, the company has also ramped up the work that is expected from them, with employees working extended hours and receiving low to non-existent pay for work on public holidays.
Amazon, however, refuted Verdi’s claims and noted that employees did not work on public holidays.
“There are no extended working hours. That’s nonsense,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
“Our critics demand what we’ve already done: Last year, we increased wages across the country to 12 euros gross upwards per hour and this autumn, we’re increasing them again to at least 12.50 euros,” he added.
Verdi, which is one of the biggest unions in Germany, has called for strikes at distribution centers in Augsburg, Leipzig, Koblenz, Rheinberg, and Werne, as well as two locations in Bad Hersfeld.
Employees at these locations have previously gone on strike for better wages and working conditions, Reuters reported.
