Amazon offers up to €5,760 in settlement to workers from closed logistic hub near Barcelona

The first meeting between the giant e-commerce Amazon and workers from their Martorelles' logistic hub since the 17-day strike started served to know how much money the company is willing to compensate relocated workers.

Amazon will pay those workers who agree to relocate to other warehouses from the company, either in Catalonia or in Spain, €5,250 for tier-one workers, mainly members of the warehouse, and €5,760 to tier-three  —head of areas.

Out of the 745 employees the giant e-commerce company has in its Martorelles logistic hub, Amazon proposed to relocate around 100 to the El Prat de Llobregat warehouse, just beside Barcelona airport. Other staff would get a job in El Far d'Empordà, a new plant expected to open in April, in the north of Catalonia, and Zaragoza, the capital of the neighboring region, Aragon.

After hearing these proposals, workers continue to believe this is not a relocation but shutting down operations in Martorelles, therefore they requested indemnities of 69 days per year of work and the amount of nine months of salary to those who accept to move.

Workers leaving the Barcelona metropolitan area, where the Martorelles plant is located, would lose acquired conditions such as nighttime or weekend bonuses.

Workers want to stay in Barcelona area

"We have always given our 200% and that is what we'll continue doing, but on the outside," Esther Rodríguez, the head of the workers' committee, said during the first day of strikes, lamenting what she described as the lack of substantial progress following hours of talks with company representatives as employees wish to stay in the Barcelona area.

"We've had to put a number on the table but what has always been more important for us is our relocation," Rodríguez explained. 

The company also has another plant in Castellbisbal, a 30-minute drive from the capital.