We’ve written a few pieces about the situation at the Amazon distribution facility at Tilbury where atrocious working conditions were exposed by an undercover reporter from the Mirror back in the autumn. Here they are:

Are Amazon digging a hole for themselves at Tilbury? – https://southessexstirrer.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/are-amazon-digging-a-hole-for-themselves-at-tilbury/

Amazon workers are fighting back – https://southessexstirrer.wordpress.com/2017/11/28/amazon-workers-are-fighting-back/

Dark, Satanic warehouses… – https://southessexstirrer.wordpress.com/2017/11/27/dark-satanic-warehouses/

The southern part of Essex is a major logistics hub with facilities clustered around West Thurrock, Tilbury, London Gateway and along the northern fringes of Basildon by the A127. Although we’ve focused on Amazon so far, it has to be acknowledged that there are worse employers in the region. Bearing all of this in mind, it was with great interest that we read this piece from The Conversation: Modern capitalism has opened a major new front for strike action – logistics – https://theconversation.com/modern-capitalism-has-opened-a-major-new-front-for-strike-action-logistics-89616

At the moment, given the weakness of the mainstream union movement, the immediate prospect of disruptive strike action in the logistics sector is not likely. As we’ve written before, employers in the logistics industry have relied on the fact that there are always people desperate enough for a job to replace those who quit because they won’t put up with the conditions or are sacked because they can’t keep up with the relentless pressure.

As the piece from The Conversation points out, many of these logistics facilities are seeing concentrations of large numbers of workers. Concentrations that business leaders have sought to avoid because of the risks of disruption by militant unions. It would seem that in the current climate, major employers in logistics and distribution are taking a punt on the workers in these places not being unionised and therefore not in a position to put on the pressure in a bid to improve pay and conditions. The fact that many of these workers are agency workers employed on precarious short term or zero hours contracts also provides a disincentive against any militant action.

However, with the expose about working conditions at Amazon’s Tilbury facility towards the end of last year, the truth about working conditions can no longer be swept under the carpet by employers. A few more exposes about working conditions and the tide could start to turn. The pages of this blog are always open to any workers who want to anonymously report on the shite treatment they’re getting.

While the mainstream unions may, for whatever reason, be reluctant to force confrontations with employers and agencies in the logistics and distribution sector, the smaller, nimbler so called ‘fringe’ unions are waiting in the wings: Unions take note…this is how you take action! – https://southessexstirrer.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/unions-take-note-this-is-how-you-take-action/ There is only so much people are willing to take before something snaps and they realise they have no option but to take on those who are ruthlessly exploiting them. There’s everything to play for…