Campaigners stage protest against Amazon in Castle Donington

Unite's 'Action on Amazon' campaign unfurled a giant banner at the gates of Donington Park to call on the company to sign a declaration which would, 'guarantee workers the freedom to talk with and form a union without fear.'

It is alleged that the American company allows workers to operate in poor working conditions and prevents them from joining unions.

An Amazon spokesperson told Fosse107,

"The fact is we already offer our employees excellent pay, excellent benefits and excellent opportunities for career growth, all while working in a safe, modern work environment.

"Our competitive wages start at £9.70 or £10.80 per hour depending on location, and we’d encourage anyone to compare this to the wages and benefits offered by other retailers.

"We’re proud to have created 10,000 new permanent roles across the UK in 2020, taking our total permanent UK workforce to more than 40,000. Our people have played a critical role in serving customers in these unprecedented times and the new roles help us continue to meet customer demand and support small and medium sized businesses selling on Amazon."

A number of regional groups have been staging similar protests across the UK.

It comes after Unite set up a hotline for Amazon workers to blow the whistle and expose poor treatment.

Unite executive officer, Sharon Graham said: “Amazon’s profits have tripled off the backs of workers who have been essential during the pandemic. But the company continues to be plagued by reports of poor working conditions and anti-union tactics.

"Amazon workers are not currently free to join a union without fear, and without obstruction and propaganda being deployed against them.  

"Workers have serious concerns about issues such as bullying, mandatory overtime, intense surveillance, break-neck production targets and much more besides. Amazon workers need an independent voice to stand up against injustices in the workplace."