Friday, November 26, 2021

Protest against “Black Friday”
Activists block Amazon shipping centers

Activists around the world are using the “Black Friday” deal day as an opportunity to draw attention to “wasteful consumption”: in doing so, they are blocking several shipping centers of the mega-corporation Amazon. Also in Germany, activists take to the streets to set an example.

In protest against the US online retailer Amazon, activists called for demonstrations around the world on Black Friday. Also in Germany, several places of the American group were attacked by protesters. At Amazon in Bad Hersfeld, for example, several environmental activists blocked the access road to the Amazon fulfillment center from the early hours of the morning. According to the organization, two Extinction Rebellion activists were hanging themselves on a bamboo scaffold. Police and firefighters tried to evacuate them. Protests also broke out at shipping centers in Rheinberg and Koblenz, according to Verdi’s union.

Additionally, several Amazon employees went to work. More than 400 employees have been on strike at the Leipzig plant since midnight. As Verdi announced, the work freeze should last until Saturday night inclusive. The main objective is the recognition of collective agreements for retail and mail order by Amazon, as well as the conclusion of a collective agreement for good and healthy work. Extinction Rebellion activists are said to be among the protesters.

World protests

In the United States, the Netherlands, Spain, France, India and Bangladesh, according to the Verdi union, several workers also participated in the protest against the online retailer under the slogan “Make Amazon Pay.”

Extinction Rebellion activists also blocked several of the company’s UK shipping centers. Several dozen members of the environmental protection organization protested in front of the country’s largest warehouse in Dunfermline, Scotland, and several other buildings in England. Together, according to Extinction Rebellion, the centers are responsible for about half of deliveries in the UK. According to the group, it was a coordinated global protest against “Black Friday” deal day, when Amazon and other retailers invite a discount battle.

The protest serves to denounce the “environmentally damaging and exploitative business practices of one of the world’s largest corporations,” declared the Extinction Rebellion group. Activists rallied to raise awareness of “wasteful consumption” caused by “Black Friday.” They tried to prevent delivery vehicles from moving away and held banners and posters in their hands accusing Amazon of profiting from the crown pandemic and evading taxes.

When asked, Amazon itself stated that the company was taking its responsibility “very seriously”, including the obligation to be CO2 neutral by 2040. In addition, Amazon offers “excellent wages and benefits in a work environment. safe and modern “. The company does not expect the campaigns to have any impact on customers.