German workers at Amazon threaten strike over virus fears

The Verdi union in Germany has called for a strike at six Amazon facilities around the country due to fears over the coronavirus. Reports claim that dozens of workers have contracted Covid-19 and that up to 500 employees in Rheinberg may refuse to work as a result. Close to that amount could take part in the strike in Leipzig, but media reports on Monday morning were inconclusive on the total level of participation. Unions are demanding that a collective agreement on the health and safety of workers be concluded for retail and mail order companies. In all, Amazon has 13 logistics locations in Germany that employs roughly 13,000 people full-time. Germany is the company's second-biggest market after the United States. The initial plans for the strike called for the stoppage to last 48 hours.
Amazon workers at six sites across Germany plan to strike Monday because dozens of staff members at its logistics centers have been infected with the coronavirus, union officials told Reuters. The union says the company is prioritizing profits over workers’ safety.