Black Friday Strike Chaos As Amazon Packaging Workers Vote To Take Action

We could be in for some serious Black Friday shortages after almost 1,000 workers at an Amazon packaging company voted in favour of strike action.

GMB Union made the announcement today that workers at DS Smith, which makes corrugated packaging for major brands such as Brewdog, PepsiCo, Diageo, McVities, Chivas and more, are set to take industrial action during the UK’s busiest retail period if a deal is not struck. 

93 per cent of the GMB Union members at DS Smith voted in favour of the action ahead of Black Friday on November 26.

Workers in five UK sites - Louth, Lincolnshire, Featherstone, in Yorkshire, Clay Cross, in Derbyshire, Devizes, in Wiltshire and Livingston, in Scotland - could take part in the strike over a ‘lack of support’ during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Eamon O’Hearn, GMB National Secretary, has warned that strike action could have ‘serious implications’ for major household names, including Amazon.

“DS Smith members worked through the pandemic, helping keep the company afloat through troubled times,” he said.

“It turns out that the company was hugely profitable during the pandemic, now they need to company to step up and help them through the cost of living crisis. 

“DS Smith can afford to do better – they need to table a serious offer that respects the contribution of our members, to nip this industrial action in the bud.” 

HuffPost UK have contacted DS Smith for comment.

The news follows the announcement that Royal Mail workers are also planning to participate in industrial action over Black Friday and Cyber Monday - a full list of their strike dates can be seen here.