'No shows' | Claims of Amazon marking strike staff as AWOL - and what HR can learn from them

Amazon workers taking part in the company’s first ever UK strike were marked as a ‘no show’ by the firm - effectively an unauthorised absence – union bosses have claimed.

Around 350 workers at the company's Coventry warehouse walked out last week in anger over the company’s offer of a 50p per hour pay rise to £10.50 (staff are campaigning for a rise to £15 an hour). This followed a ballot which ended with 98% of respondents voting in favour of industrial action.

Now, following the walkout, reports have emerged that employees involved in the action were marked as ‘no shows’ by bosses, with many now worried they will be fined, or even face a gross misconduct charge.

As stated by the GBM union, which represents the Amazon strikers, properly mandated industrial action gives workers the legal right to withdraw their labour - and should not be classed as unauthorised absence. The union said it ‘hoped and believed’ that the matter was an error, rather than a deliberate attempt at intimidation.