German union calls Amazon workers in Leipzig to strike for 48 hours

German public sector union ver.di on Monday called for a 48-hour strike starting immediately at Amazon's warehouses in the country's eastern city of Leipzig. The union's representative Ronny Streich called Amazon's offer of a 3% wage increase for the first year of the agreement "a slap in the face".

German public sector union ver.di on Monday called for a 48-hour strike starting immediately at Amazon's warehouses in the country's eastern city of Leipzig. The workers want a collective labour agreement that includes a 2.5 euro ($2.73) per hour wage increase for a 12-month period.

They also want a 250 euro wage increase for apprentices and that the labour agreement must become binding for the company. The union's representative Ronny Streich called Amazon's offer of a 3% wage increase for the first year of the agreement "a slap in the face". Amazon in Germany did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 0.9173 euros)