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Amazon workers walk out in first UK strike

STORY: Amazon workers walked out at a warehouse in central England on Wednesday (January 25).

It comes after a months-long dispute over pay.

It's the first time Amazon's operations have faced strike action in Britain.

The GMB trade union expects about 300 employees to take part in Wednesday's walkout in Coventry.

Stuart Richards is a senior union organiser.

''These workers are having to work incredibly long shifts just to try and make ends meet, just to try and feed their families. We've got to be better than that."

Last year, Amazon raised starting pay by 50 pence to a maximum of £11.45 per hour - or just over $14.

Nicholas Henderson is an Amazon worker.

He wants further talks to raise wages as inflation soars in the UK.

''Because of the cost of living going up, we are basically on the breadline. So you know...minimum pay is going to what £10.42 in April. We are £10.50, so the time you add in your rent, your mortgage, your food, your bills, you've basically got nothing left. So obviously... hopefully this can get the head office to talk to us."

Staff in many crucial sectors have gone on strike in the UK for better pay, with nurses and rail workers among those to walk out.

Amazon employs thousands of workers across 30 warehouses in the country.

It has said its pay is competitive.