Amazon closes three warehouses in the UK, putting 1,200 jobs at risk | Amazon

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Amazon has announced plans to close three of its more than 30 warehouses in the UK, affecting 1,200 jobs.

Workers at the Doncaster and Hemel Hempstead facilities in Hertfordshire and Gourock in western Scotland will be offered roles at other Amazon sites.

It is thought unlikely that many of the 300 workers at the Gourock site will want to move as there is no other Amazon facility nearby, as is the case with the Doncaster and Hertfordshire plants.

The closures of the old sites come as Amazon prepares to open new delivery warehouses at Bedmore in the West Midlands and Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, which will employ 2,500 people.

Amazon said the company remains “committed to our customers, employees and communities across the UK”.

A company spokesperson said: “We are always evaluating our network to ensure it fits our business needs and to improve the experience for our employees and customers.

“As part of this effort, we may close legacy sites, enhance existing facilities, or open new ones, and we have launched a consultation on the proposed closure of three implementation centers in 2023.”

The potential job losses come after Amazon announced last week that it plans to cut 18,000 jobs around the world – mostly in its main offices – in a bid to become more efficient under Andrew Jassy, ​​who took over as CEO in the summer of 2021.

The changes come as shoppers rein in spending and the online retailer grapples with an uncertain economy globally. The company has also shed employees in recent years as it expands into new areas, including groceries, private label technology, and fashion.

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Costs have soared in Amazon warehouses and deliveries as worker shortages, especially for skilled roles such as forklifts and heavy-duty truck drivers, have forced the company to raise wages.

Workers at the company’s massive Coventry depot are preparing to strike on January 25 to demand wages of £15 an hour, after securing a historic yes vote in the industrial strike ballot.

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