On Friday 12 April, a number of S&D Group MEPs met with Amazon workers and trade union representatives in Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands to discuss ways of “opposing Amazon’s exploitation and abuse”, according to a press release.
This action is part of a European day of action coordinated by UNI Europa, the European services workers’ union.
“This European day of action is a commitment to take further steps to ensure that the multinational pays decent wages and respects workers’ rights”, according to the group.
In February, MEPs banned Amazon lobbyists from freely entering the European Parliament (see EUROPE 13359/28). “We call on Amazon to stop exploiting workers and bogus freelancers and, in particular, to stop using mass surveillance and AI to abuse employees and invade their privacy. What’s more, Amazon must respect the European social model and the trade unions”, said Agnes Jongerius (Dutch).
“Amazon does not respect the rights of its workers, trade unions or democratic institutions. Those who hold the European social model and our democracy in such contempt must suffer the consequences. (...) We will continue until Amazon fully respects the rights of its workers and complies with the European rules of the game”, said Gabriele Bischoff from Germany. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)