Amazon workers in 20 countries are planning protests and work stoppages on Black Friday

The protests, set to take place in nations around the world including the US, UK, and several in the EU is set to have a knock-on impact on processing times for Black Friday orders. The shopping-centric day is among Amazon’s busiest all year.

The Make Amazon Pay group says: “Amazon takes too much and gives back too little.”

It is backed by a coalition of labour groups, trade unions, grassroots campaigns and non-profit-making organisations in individual countries.

Many employees will be working on the day however campaign groups including Amazon workers themselves will be staging protests at Amazon buildings in Coalville, Leicestershire, Coventry, Peterborough and at its London headquarters.

Strikes are being encouraged in other locations, too

In Germany the ‘Verdi’ union called on employees who work at major shopping centres to also strike.

Worldwide, almost 50 organisations have signed up to a lost of ‘common demands’ – published bu the Make Amazon Pay coalition.

Among those demands include raising warehouse workers’ pay and adding hazard pay and peak time increments, halting worker “surveillance” and strict productivity targets, extending sick leave and improving COVID tracing and reporting and paying taxes without using loopholes or tax havens.

Amazon has reported a tripling of profits earlier this year, thanks to its success during peak periods over the pandemic.

Cyber warnings for shoppers

Black Friday is one of the busiest days for retailers right around the world, as consumers snatch many bargains.

Economists expect this year’s shopping sales to set another spending record.

In fact, the National Australia Bank predicts one million dollars a minute will be spent across Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

However, there is now a fresh warning over the rapid rise in scammers ahead of this busy shopping season.