French Unions Propose Gradual Return To Work At Amazon

Unions representing workers at Amazon France are proposing a gradual return to work, two days after the online retail giant announced its warehouses in France would stay shut until May 5.

The online retailer shut its warehouses in France on April 16 after unions got a court to order that Amazon could deliver only food, hygiene or medical products pending a review of coronavirus safety measures for its roughly 10,000 employees in the country.

The US firm appealed the ruling, but on Friday the Court of Appeal in Versailles outside Paris rejected its application.

Dozens of employees had staged walkouts at several sites before the initial ruling, saying they worked in close proximity in contravention of social distancing measures imposed by the government to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Amazon has continued to sell and deliver goods to French clients, shipping items from its warehouses located in neighouring countries.

In a joint press release issued on Wednesday, the three unions outlined a proposal for a two-stage return to full return to activity.

The trade unions that represent nearly all of Amazon France staff "have no other goal than to protect the health of employees, temporary workers, employees of external companies dealing with the warehouses as well as relatives of all of these workers," the three unions said in their statement.

Amazon said in a statement on Monday that its workers will be asked to stay home until May 5, adding they will receive full pay.