Amazon employees demanding better pay and working conditions have begun striking at seven German warehouses to coincide with the Black Friday discount shopping sales on November 27.
The strikes began on Wednesday night and will last until Saturday. They are taking place in Leipzig at two locations, in Bad Hersfeld and Rheinberg.
Strikes are also taking place in Werne, Graben near Augsburg and Koblenz.
Trade union Verdi has been organising the strikes for Amazon workers in Germany – the tech giant’s largest market outside the US – since 2013.
There are nine Amazon "fulfilment centres" in Germany, employing more than 11,000 people.
The last strike Verdi organised was for last month’s “Prime Day” promotional event.
Amazon says it offers “excellent” salaries, with benefits and working conditions comparable with those of other important employers.
But the union says wages should be increased because workers are at risk of Covid-19.
During the pandemic, e-commerce sales have soared and companies such as Amazon have taken more business from high-street retailers.
"We estimate that around 2,500 people went on strike today, a higher number than in similar actions in the past and, given the difficult circumstances caused by the pandemic, it's a big success," a Verdi spokesman told AFP.
But Amazon said the strike would not slow down its deliveries because many of its employees are still working as usual.
