Protest calling for union rights for Amazon workers arrives in Skegness

Six members of Unite the Union set up in Compass Gardens near the Clock Tower as part of a national campaign, Action on Amazon No employees of Amazon were present.

Unite’s wants to secure trade union rights for directly employed Amazon workers and for workers in the gig economy, while firmly opposing Amazon’s anti-trade union tactics.

A poll of 2000 UK residents conducted by Survation revealed that the public are now likely to view Amazon workers as “Key Workers” by a margin of 2:1 as a result of their work through the health crisis.

Almost half of respondents said they had changed their view of Amazon workers and now value them more than they did before the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The union is now calling on Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to sign up to a ‘declaration of neutrality’, which includes commitments that recognise workers’ rights to unionise.

Unite executive officer Sharon Graham said: “Amazon workers have played a crucial part in people’s lives during the pandemic and the public expects fair employment practices and decent terms and conditions.

"Amazon attacks all attempts by workers to gain a collective voice of their own but it is now time for a new settlement. The public strongly supports Amazon workers’ right to trade union representation regardless of whether the workers are directly employed or if they work in the gig economy.

“Unite is calling on Jeff Bezos to back a declaration which guarantees that Amazon workers in the UK and Ireland have the freedom to talk with and form a union without fear. Our union is campaigning up and down the country. We are determined to win trade union rights for Amazon workers.”

Sam Luczynski is one of the six representatives of Unite the Union protesting near the Clock Tower.

He said: "The visit was short and we did not get a massive response but we are travelling around the country and our main aim is to get the word out."