Unions tap-up investors to pressure Amazon over worker’s rights

According to reports, Baillie Gifford and Aberdeen Standard are among firms to hear presentations this month at the TUC’s head office from unions like the GMB.

According to The Guardian newspaper, a dozen leading fund managers and pension funds are being pressured into action by the Trade Union Share Owners organisation, which shot to prominence in 2016 after joining with major investors to call for a review into how workers were treated at controversial retail heavyweight Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct chain.

The newspaper says that some investors have agreed to raise concerns over working conditions with Amazon, with potential options for progress including votes against individual directors.

One investor is quoted by the paper as saying: “Company culture and human capital management are coming up more frequently in discussions with companies. We see it as a reputation issue. A company needs to be attractive for people to want to work there and to stay there and also to attract and retain customers, and we have seen huge backlashes against companies where customers have voted with their feet.”