Workers at Amazon's Coventry warehouse went on strike for a week due to higher wages earlier this year. Credit: HENRY NICHOLLS/REUTERS
A £14bn Church of England wealth manager has urged Amazon to recognize the union rights of its warehouse workers as the tech giant prepares for a series of shareholder revolts.
The CCLA Investment Authority, which oversees billions of pounds for Anglican parishes, dioceses and charities, is backing a shareholder petition demanding that Amazon conduct an independent review of union crackdown allegations.
This came as the GMB union said it had reached legal threshold for mandatory recognition at Amazon's Coventry warehouse.
GMB said it had secured the support of 700 members in its fulfillment center, more than the 51 percent required to secure official recognition.
However, union officials said Amazon is “threatening to flood the warehouse with up to 1,000 new employees in an attempt to evade its legal obligations.”
The Telegraph is aware that the CCLA wrote to Amazon on Friday urging recognition of the Coventry union and a demonstration of their commitment to collective bargaining rights.
ISS, the shareholder advisory group, urged investors to support the proposal.
The proxy voting body also pushed shareholders to rebel against Amazon's board of directors and vote on proposals requiring reports on the company's impact on climate change, workplace safety and plastic waste. He also asked investors to vote against the directors' pay advisory proposal.
Strikes in the UK have dogged Amazon this year as warehouse workers protested low wages.
Ahead of the upcoming annual general Amazon shareholders have faced a record number of shareholder protests over workers' rights, their environmental reputation and corporate governance.
The CCLA proposal requires Amazon to conduct an “independent third-party assessment” of whether it is adhering to union rules and the individual's right to freedom of association.
The shareholder group invests on behalf of the Church of England, as well as other Christian denominations, secular charities organizations and local authorities.
An investor who secured support from $660m (£527m) shareholders. ) of Amazon shares, warned that the company's current approach “could expose Amazon to material risks and jeopardize long-term shareholder value.” > Last year, Amazon was forced to recognize a workers' union in the US for the first time. Photo: ANDREA RENAULT/AFP
The proposal, coordinated by shareholder advocacy group SHARE, also received the backing of the Third Swedish National Pension Fund and a $200 billion asset management company of British Columbia.
In a proxy issued last month in support of the proposal, Shareholders said : “Multiple reports indicate that Amazon's behavior towards unionizing employees is contrary to its own human rights commitments.”
Amazon's board called on shareholders to vote against the proposal, arguing that it already respects trade union rights, and has prepared a report on relations with trade unions.
The company's response states: “We respect the right of our employees to form, join or not join a trade union or other legitimate organization of their choice without fear of reprisal, intimidation or harassment, and our policies and practices protect these rights.”
On Friday, Amazon UK workers from the GMB union filed a formal application with the Central Arbitration Committee to force Amazon to recognize their organization. Last year, Amazon was forced to recognize a workers' union in the US for the first time.
Amanda Gearing, the GMB organizer, accused Amazon of threatening to bring in hundreds of new employees, which could undermine the union's mandate. She said, “They're scared.”
In response to statements, Amazon said there were currently no open positions at its Coventry center.
Employees in Coventry demanded that Amazon increase its wages up to £15 an hour amid a cost-of-living crisis. The tech giant is currently offering staff between £11 and £12 an hour, depending on location. Amazon insists the recent pay hike means wages are up 10% in the last seven months.
In response to GMB, Amazon said: “We offer competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, opportunities for career advancement while working in a safe, modern work environment. At Amazon, these benefits and opportunities are work-related, as is the ability to communicate directly with the company's management.”
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