Amazon workers on minimum wage to get pay rise

Amazon has announced plans to raise its minimum wages for UK and US employees, following campaigns pushing for pay increases to tackle rising levels of poverty and inequality.

The company will be raising the hourly rate of workers in the UK to £9.50, or £10.50 for those working in the London area. The company states that this will benefit more than 17,000 Amazon employees, as well as over 20,000 seasonal employees who will be hired at Amazon sites across the country this festive season.

The Guardian reports that the current minimum for Amazon’s British workers is £8 an hour, meaning a pay rise of at least 28% in London and 18% elsewhere, well above the rate of UK inflation. 

Many high-profile commenters have praised Amazon for their announcement.