News / Global industrial action won't disrupt our Black Friday, says Amazon

© Dmitrii Melnikov

Amazon has insisted that the largest day of industrial disruption in the e-tailer’s 30-year history will not affect its Black Friday operations. 

Today, with Amazon workers from Italy, the US, Germany and Spain reportedly striking, more than 1,000 staff will walk out of a UK fulfilment centre in Coventry.  

Amanda Gearing, GMB Union organiser, said: “Amazon bosses are desperate to claim it will be business as usual for Amazon and customers this Black Friday. The truth is…strike action on Black Friday will ripple throughout the company’s UK logistics.” 

But Amazon told The Loadstar: “Strike action in Coventry will cause zero disruption to customers.” 

The company also said it “fundamentally disagrees” with the perspectives of the “Make Amazon Pay” agenda, which has ignited many strikes at its facilities around the world.  

Make Amazon Pay is a global campaign that aims to hold the firm accountable for its adverse impact on workers, communities and the planet. 

“With industrial action escalating and workers joining strike action in Europe and the US, it’s clear that Coventry workers are inspiring Amazon workers worldwide to fight for their share of company profits,” Ms Gearing said.  

However, one ex-Amazon employee told The Loadstar: “The business continuity aspects of Amazon are second to none, and they are very used to dealing with these kinds of actions.” 

According to Adobe’s online shopping forecast, Black Friday weekend – which ironically falls on the same weekend as the first World Sustainable Transport Day – is set to see $12bn in e-commerce sales this year. 

A report by Trade Data Service today shows tonnage of Chinese international air cargo traffic picks up substantially during the holiday season. Chinese customs statistics also report an uptick in weight. Anecdotally too, ecommerce has been driving airfreight during this ‘peak’ season and, with global retail special days such as Black Friday, tradelanes are beginning to diversify. 

One Chinese ecommerce forwarder told The Loadstar their company was diversifying its trade routes to accommodate global demand. 

“We’ve now opened businesses for Japan, Singapore, Australia, the Middle East and Mexico,” she said. “China-Australia trade is up 5.9%, and Australian lanes are showing good, and high, profits.” 

Check out this clip of TAC Index’s Neil Wilson talking about the airfreight peak season.