THE online retailer, Amazon has been criticised for failing to pay a "Christmas bonus" to its workers at three warehouses in the North East.

Amazon, which has sites in Durham, Darlington and Gateshead, has faced calls to recognise its staff during the festive period after a similar bonus was paid last year.

The company has since responded, saying it already offers a "comprehensive benefits" package and pays at least £10 an hour for all North East-based roles. 

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One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Northern Echo: "Even though we work for the richest man in the world, who can literally take care of world poverty.

The Northern Echo:

Amazon's warehouse in Gateshead is named NCL1 after Newcastle Airport Picture: JIM SCOTT

"This year there will be no Christmas bonus, busiest time of year - we, the employees or numbers as we really are, rely on bonuses at this time of year."

The worker, who works at one of the three sites, went on to claim that some of the retailer's staff had come from "single wage households" and "poverty-stricken areas."

Last year, the online retailer paid staff in the North East a cash bonus in December, but this was in recognition of their work during the Covid pandemic.

Read more: Amazon to pay Gateshead and Durham workers £50 bonus a week

At the time, part-time staff received £150 and full-time staff received £300, while it earlier this year paid out a £50 weekly bonus to staff turning up to work on time.

It is understood, however, that Amazon does not routinely offer Christmas bonuses to workers at warehouses in the UK.

An online petition this month emerged, calling on the retailer to offer "associates" a cash bonus over Christmas as it had paid thousands in "new-starter" bonuses.

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In a statement to the company, it said: "I can't believe that new Amazon starters are getting a Christmas bonus of up to £750, and old associates like me are not getting the bonus. All of us should be treated equally as we all doing the same hard work over peak.

"I've worked hard at Amazon for nearly 4 years now, and since Covid, it's the hardest I've ever worked here.

"I will help to train the new associates and I enjoy doing it. But it's not fair that new associates get rewarded and the rest of us don't, when we do the same work."

As of Thursday, a total of 7,079 people had signed the petition, just 2,900 away from its target.

In response to the workers' concerns in the North East, an Amazon spokesperson said: “We pay all of our employees—whether they are full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal—at least £10 per hour.

"We provide a comprehensive benefits package which includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount – which combined are worth more than £700 annually – as well as a company pension plan.”

It comes as earlier this month, The Northern Echo revealed work was underway on what is believed will be the retailer's fourth warehouse in the region.

Read more: First pictures of Teesside's first 'Amazon' off A19 in Wynyard near Stockton

At the time, pictures showed how the fourth warehouse, codenamed NCL2, was being built off the A19 at Wynyard Business Park, near Stockton.

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