PARIS, May 3 (Reuters) – Nearly all of Amazon’s trade unions in France rejected the proposed 2022 pay rise during the final day of negotiations, union representatives said. who specified that no collective action was planned in the immediate future.
Faced with the sharp rise in inflation in the country, the unions had proposed a salary increase of 5% as part of the mandatory annual negotiation (NAO).
The company has proposed a 3.5% wage increase from June 1, an offer whose conditions have, according to union sources, only been accepted by the employers’ union CFE-CGC.
“In any other year, this would have been a good proposition, but since December inflation has been soaring,” said Jean-François Berot, representative of the SUD union, citing the high rise in energy prices, foodstuffs and other goods.
A collective action is not to be excluded in the next days or next weeks, indicated union sources, but no strike is envisaged for the time being.
Amazon said its proposal was “above the median rates of increase seen at large companies this year,” between 2% and 2.5%, according to the e-commerce giant.
The group’s wages in France have increased by more than 5.6% over the past twelve months, he said in a statement, adding that this “corresponds to the cumulative increase in the minimum wage over this period”.
“We are pleased to confirm Amazon’s attractive salary increase proposal, which we believe is well positioned for our employees and which will be implemented in our 8 distribution centers, as well as other financial measures”, added the group said.
An Amazon spokeswoman said the 3.5% wage increase would come on top of existing benefits such as the commuter bonus and free shares.
A member of the CFDT said that the company had threatened to revise downwards, to 3%, its salary increase offer if no agreement was reached before Tuesday. Amazon finally maintained its 3.5% increase offer, which will be adopted but “without the approval of the trade unions”, added Morgane Boulard.
Last month, all of Amazon’s eight logistics centers in France were disrupted by worker walkouts over discontent over wage negotiations. (Report GV De Clercq, written by Jean Terzian, edited by Tangi Salaün)