Retail giant has denied claims of "appalling" working conditions ahead of a protest being held in Bristol tonight (July 22).
GMB, the union for Amazon workers, is holding a demonstration at the company’s distribution centre in Severn Beach from 5.30pm.
It claims warehouse workers at such centres are forced to endure unsafe working conditions and dehumanising work.
According to the union, workers have been forced to use plastic bottles to urinate in while pregnant women are forced to stand for several hours.
In 2017, a five-week investigation uncovered staff exploitation and gruelling conditions at an Amazon warehouse in Tilbury, Essex.
The on the outskirts of Bristol opened earlier this month, creating around 1,000 jobs.
By September, there will be around 1,000 people based there, filling every type of role from fulfilment associates to store coordinators to operation managers to safety specialists to yard marshals and maintenance technicians.
On tonight's protest, Mick Rix, GMB national officer, said: “The conditions our members work under at Amazon sites are appalling.
“The reports we get from GMB members are horrific and suggest the practices Amazon employ at Bristol create unsafe work, in comparison to many other warehouse distribution centres.
“Amazon workers want Jeff Bezos [CEO of Amazon] to know they are people – not robots. It is time that Jeff Bezos showed empathy with the very people that have helped contribute to his vast and increasing personal fortune.
Jack Dromey MP Shadow Pensions Minister, added: "It's unacceptable that Amazon workers are subjected to working practices that would shame a 19th Century Mill Owner while the company makes ever increasing profits and Jeff Bezos gets even richer."
'These groups are conjuring misinformation'
Amazon has denied the claims and said it already offers "industry-leading" pay as well as benefits.
A spokesman for the retailer also denied that workers are forced to urinate in bottles, describing the claims as "misinformation".
“Events like Prime Day have become an opportunity for our critics, including unions, to raise awareness for their cause, in this case, increased membership dues," he said.
"These groups are conjuring misinformation to work in their favour, when in fact we already offer the things they purport to be their cause — industry-leading pay, benefits, and a safe workplace for our employees.
"We can only conclude that the people who attend the events are simply not informed.
"We encourage everyone to book a tour of one of our fulfilment centres and compare our overall pay, benefits, and workplace environment to other retailers and major employers across the country.”
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