GMB, one of the UK’s largest trade unions, is urging the government to favour businesses that recognise trade unions when awarding public contracts.
This call follows the disclosure that Amazon obtained £1 billion in government contracts, despite accusations of engaging in “union-busting” practices.
Today at the Labour Party conference, GMB will advocate for companies that acknowledge trade unions and permit these unions to interact with their workers on recognition issues to be given priority in public procurement processes.
This follows a narrowly missed vote at Amazon’s Coventry distribution centre in July, where workers came within 28 votes of becoming the first site outside the US to compel Amazon to negotiate union terms. GMB is now mounting a legal challenge against Amazon, accusing the company of pressuring employees to revoke their union membership, making it harder to reach the threshold for union recognition. Amazon has denied the claims.
According to data analyzed by GMB from Tussell, Amazon was awarded most of its £1.04 billion contracts last year for cloud services. Gary Smith, the general secretary of GMB, asserted that Amazon needs to improve its treatment of workers, including providing fair pay and better working conditions, if it wants to continue receiving these profitable government contracts.
The Labour government has pledged to simplify union recognition procedures and give workers more rights, aiming to create a more balanced power dynamic between employers and unions. Current rules prevent unions from reapplying for statutory recognition for three years if they fail to meet the required vote threshold.
Amazon responded, stating that it has always been up to the employees whether or not to join a union. They added that direct interaction with their workers plays a crucial role in the company’s culture.
GMB calls for government to prioritise union-friendly firms in public contracts (bmmagazine.co.uk)
