Amazon announces pay rise for its operational employees

The increase will benefit thousands of workers across the UK, said the company.

Alan Jones
Wednesday 04 September 2024 15:01 BST
Amazon has announced a pay rise for its employees (Nicholas T Ansell/PA)
Amazon has announced a pay rise for its employees (Nicholas T Ansell/PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Online giant Amazon has announced a pay rise for its operational staff.

The minimum starting pay for frontline operations employees will increase to between £13.50 and £14.50 an hour, depending on location.

For those with 36 months’ service, the increase will be to between £13.75 and £14.75 and hour.

Amazon said the increase was worth at least 9.8% and will be effective from September 29, benefiting tens of thousands of its employees across the UK, including delivery staff and those based in fulfilment centres.

Our frontline employees across the UK Operations network are a huge part of the success of our business

Amazon

The company, which has recently been embroiled in a union recognition dispute with the GMB, said it has invested £550 million in increased pay for its UK operations employees since 2022, representing a 35% increase in the hourly rate in that period.

It added that from day one, all employees are offered a benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount, which it estimated was worth more than £700 a year.

Amazon UK’s country manager John Boumphrey said: “Our frontline employees across the UK Operations network are a huge part of the success of our business and we appreciate everything they do to deliver for our customers.

“That’s why we’re proud to announce that we’re increasing our minimum starting pay for all frontline employees to the equivalent of more than £28,000 a year, and we continue to offer industry-leading benefits from day one.”

Rachel Fagan, GMB organiser, said: “This is too little, too late from Amazon bosses who have been forced to act by workers’ industrial action.

“Amazon’s reputation is in the gutter over its treatment of its own workers, and now company bosses are trying to plaster over the facts.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in