Investors urge amazon to respect Coventry workers' right

In 2023, CCLA and other investors had previously encouraged Amazon to voluntarily recognize the GMB Union at Coventry. Although the Central Arbitration Committee ruled in favor of a union recognition vote, Amazon has yet to voluntarily acknowledge the union. The current investor letter is a follow-up to a recent proposal at Amazon’s AGM, which called for an independent report on Amazon’s commitment to employees’ rights. This proposal garnered significant support, with 37.4 percent of independent shareholders voting in favor.

Peter Hugh Smith, CCLA Chief Executive, emphasized the importance of addressing these issues both for the sake of Amazon’s employees and for maintaining investor trust. “As an investor in Amazon, we want to do the right thing – both by our clients who expect us to be good stewards of their capital and by Amazon’s employees. In light of the countless media reports and allegations, and given two major ESG data providers have expressed concerns, questions from investors need to be answered. We want to see Amazon appoint a reputable third party to assess how they implement their human rights policies in UK fulfillment centers and to commit to rectifying any areas of non-conformance identified. The clock is ticking and it is time for Amazon to set the record straight.”

Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, lauded the investors’ efforts: “It’s encouraging to see investors take a stand and push for greater accountability at Amazon. We applaud these investors for their commitment and urge all stakeholders to maintain consistent engagement beyond AGMs. By actively participating in this ongoing dialogue, investors can drive meaningful changes that prioritize the well-being of Amazon’s workers. UNI Global Union fully supports these efforts and calls on all investors to join in ensuring that Amazon upholds the highest standards of worker rights and fair treatment.”

Other investors including representatives from Foster Denovo, Folksam, and KLP echoed these sentiments, highlighting reputational and operational risks if international labor standards continue being disregarded. Emilie Westholm from Folksam expressed concern over Amazon’s persistent failure to respect labor rights while Kiran Aziz from KLP pointed out inadequate responses during shareholder engagement.

Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organizer stated: “All GMB members at Amazon Coventry are calling for is respect and fair treatment. Instead we’ve seen Amazon bosses pile company resources into union-busting tactics and stripping low paid workers of a voice. Pressure is building on Amazon to do the right thing and get out of the way of workers attempts to build a better life.”

The pressure on Amazon from this significant coalition underscores a critical need for proactive measures addressing human rights issues within its operations globally.