Ryan FowlerAmazon has confirmed that workers at its UK fulfilment centres will now receive full pay during pre-planned site shutdowns, a major policy shift prompted by union pressure. Previously, workers were required to either forfeit a day’s pay or use a day of annual leave to cover these closures, which typically occur for maintenance or other operational work.
The change comes after GMB Union made the policy a key demand in its recent pay negotiations with Amazon. The announcement follows heightened scrutiny of the company’s treatment of workers, including recent confrontations between Amazon executives and MPs over strike actions and employment practices.
Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, criticised the old policy, stating: “Fulfilment centre shutdowns are pre-planned and company bosses know about them months in advance. Until now, workers have been expected to stomach the loss of a day’s pay when they happen; it was nothing short of time theft.”
She praised the workers’ collective effort in securing the policy change, adding: “Now Amazon bosses have been left red-faced as workers have forced them to end outdated and unfair employment practices. Only a union at Amazon will make it a fair and responsible employer, and our members won’t rest until that happens.”
