Verdi: willingness to strike at amazon continues unabated

It was the fourth strike day in a row. At both sites, a total of around 1100 employees again took part, as verdi spokesman christoph schmitz said in berlin. Amazon spoke of less than 860 employees from both shifts of the day. The majority had worked regularly.

In both mail order centers, the strike is to continue until saturday at the latest. The hessians had spoken out only on wednesday for a prolongation of the actions. Meanwhile, amazon germany boss ralf kleber stressed that the work stoppages had no impact on the shipping business.

No packages are left lying around, he emphasized. With 4.6 million orders on the 15th, the mail order giant. December had been the peak ordering day. That is around 15 percent more than on the peak day last year. Verdi spokesman schmitz, on the other hand, said that in any case it would be more difficult for the company to meet the order deadlines.

Strike leader thomas kleber at amazon in leipzig stressed that even on day four the willingness to strike was unbroken. "The strike tent is full". No reliable figures were available on possible effects. "But we know that it is tame and sometimes critical. It doesn't get any easier when 500 people are standing outside," said schneider.

In the conflict, which has been smoldering for months, verdi is demanding the start of negotiations for a collective agreement on the conditions of the retail and mail-order trade for about 9000 employees nationwide. The mail-order giant takes its cue from the lower level of the logistics industry. Amazon germany chief kleber confirmed on thursday: "we see no reason to enter into negotiations with verdi."