BERLIN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Amazon employees went on strike in Germany over a long-standing wage dispute, German media reported on Monday.
According to the trade union Ver.di, around 2,000 people stayed away from work at six Amazon locations across the country. Amazon operates a total of nine logistics centers in Germany.
Ver.di representative Thomas Voss said that Amazon had recently raised wages slightly, but the increases remained "significantly below" industry standards and trade union demands.
Trade unionists are urging Amazon to pay its staff in accordance with the collective wage agreement for the German shipment and retail industry. The U.S. technology giant has failed to mirror pay-rises recently agreed in the sector.
According to Ver.di, Amazon is refusing to enter any collective wage agreement negotiations and has been threatened with further strikes in response. Amazon has experienced a long series of strikes at its German locations since 2013.
Amazon insists that it is an attractive employer, despite not adhering to the industry-wide collective wage agreement, and has pointed to benefits such as stock remuneration schemes and bonus payments which it offers. The company expressed confidence that strikes would not cause any delay to its deliveries, as it could re-rout orders throughout its network of 31 logistics centers in seven European countries.
However, Left Party trade union spokesperson in the Federal Parliament, or Bundestag, Jutta Krellman accused Amazon of operating a loan dumping model.
Krellman said it was "time for employees to participate" in Amazon's commercial success.
