A PROTEST against working practices at Amazon is to take place outside its Dunfermline warehouse this weekend.

Fife People’s Assembly Against Austerity and the Fife Trades Union Council has organised the event to highlight what they call “draconian working and employment practices” at the warehouse.

Tam Kirby, from the Fife PAAA, said the protest – which starts at 12pm – follows a successful campaign run by Unite the Union against the working practices with Sports Direct.

“We feel there is the same need to highlight the draconian working and employment practices within Amazon,” said Mr Kirby. 

“There are far too many similarities between both Sports Direct and Amazon. The same six strikes and you’re out, the same constant fear of being sacked, the same use of zero hours and short-term contracts and the complete anti-union position of the company and the agencies it uses,” he explained.

A spokesman for Amazon said: “Amazon is proud to be a significant contributor to the economy in Scotland, including investing hundreds of millions of pounds in our Scottish operations over the past five years and today supporting over 2,200 competitively-paid jobs at our research and development centre as well as customer service centre in Edinburgh, and fulfilment centres in Gourock and Dunfermline.                                                        
“Amazon’s website says: ‘We care for and value our employees and maintain a culture of direct dialogue with them.

"People are employed in a range of positions, from operations managers to engineers, HR and IT roles to employees who will handle orders at the fulfilment centres.

"Amazon employees do not have zero hour contracts. Currently over 95 per cent of temporary employees in our fulfilment centres work a 40-hour week.

“Outside of the Christmas period, the majority of our total UK fulfilment centre workforce is made up of permanent employees. To manage variation in customer demand and as a way of finding high-quality permanent employees we also engage seasonal employees.

“Like most companies, Amazon also has a fair and predictable system to record employee attendance.”