Strike at Amazon's facility in Bad Hersfeld reoccurs
Amazon is set to undergo significant changes at its FRA3 location in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, over the next two years. The company has announced plans to invest in transport robots, aiming to eliminate walking distances and make work easier for its remaining core workforce.
However, these changes have sparked concerns about the potential impact on working conditions. According to Wolfgang Schäuble, a prominent German politician, the digitalization at Amazon may worsen, rather than improve, working conditions, as the machine will set the pace.
Amidst these changes, Amazon has also announced a wage adjustment for its employees. Effective from September 1, the starting wage in Germany will be at least 15.65 euros gross per hour, representing a 2.2% to 2.5% increase, resulting in an additional 30 euros for most employees.
Despite this adjustment, the Ver.di union maintains that incomes at Amazon are up to 4,000 euros below a comparable collective wage per year. In response to this, and minimal wage adjustments announced for September 1, the union is calling for a two-day strike at Amazon's Bad Hersfeld location.
Amazon has rejected the criticism of working conditions at its Bad Hersfeld location, stating that it offers good additional benefits to its employees. These benefits include covering the cost of the Germany ticket and promoting further training measures with up to 4,500 euros per year.
However, Schäuble argues that every euro matters to employees, not just for current income, but also for pension expectations. The company does have a company pension scheme, but the impact of the changes on pensions remains to be seen.
It's important to note that massive job cuts have already taken place before the conversion to new robotics technology, and the specific dates for the replacement of jobs at the Bad Hersfeld location have not been publicly announced.
Despite these uncertainties, Amazon remains committed to its investments in Bad Hersfeld. The company is investing in transport robots at the FRA3 location, with the goal of providing fast and reliable delivery of orders to its customers.
As the changes unfold, it will be interesting to see how they impact both the workforce and the customers of Amazon in Bad Hersfeld.
