German Union Calls on Amazon Workers to Strike During Sale

German trade union Verdi on Tuesday called on workers at nine Amazon distribution centres across Germany to go on strike this week, during the company's second major sales event this year, to pressure the retailer into collective bargaining agreements.

The union said the strikes would begin and end at different times at the various locations to make it hard for the company to react. "Strikes have to hurt, even for a giant like Amazon," said Monika Di Silvestre, who is coordinating the strikes.

Amazon's two-day "Prime Early Access Sale" shopping event for members, which starts Tuesday, is much like the Prime Day summer marketing blitz and will compete with early discounts from rival retailers for customers grappling with inflation-squeezed Christmas budgets.

The union - one of Germany's biggest - said that while the company had raised wages, they were below the current inflation rate and ranged from 3% to 7% across the different locations.

Verdi said it had called strikes at distribution centres in Dortmund, Graben, Koblenz, Leipzig, Rheinberg, Werne and Winsen (Luhe) and two centres in Bad Hersfeld.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.