#German Amazon workers to strike for Black Friday

German Amazon workers are being called to strike on Black Friday in an attempt to secure higher wages and better working conditions.

Trade union Verdi is telling workers at seven Amazon warehouses across Germany to strike for three days, including on Nov. 27, which is one of the biggest shopping days of the years because of major discounts.

The strike was scheduled to begin with the Wednesday night shift.

Germany, which has Amazon’s biggest market behind the US, has seen a series of strikes organized by Verdi since 2013 and most recently, workers refused to work during Prime Day.

At the time, a spokesman said workers have “excellent” salaries with benefits and working conditions that are comparable to similar employers.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the online retailer’s CEO Jeff Bezos got significantly wealthier while smaller businesses found it impossible to compete. The pandemic took customers away from brick-and-mortar shops and sent them straight to the digital marketplace, fueling Amazon’s massive profits.

Verdi said this is a prime reason why workers should strike and ask for better wages while adding that staff weren’t adequately protected from the virus while toiling at warehouses.