The Independent Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) of Luxembourg has voiced its concerns over Amazon’s decision to have some employees work at its Kirchberg location on June 23, the country’s National Day, which is a public holiday. This move comes as the e-commerce giant’s annual Prime Day operations coincided with the holiday, prompting a select number of staff to volunteer to work.
Amazon has responded by assuring that the number of employees involved was limited and that all participating workers would receive compensation in line with Luxembourg’s labor laws. The company emphasized that the work was voluntary and only a minimal workforce was required to meet its operational demands during Prime Day.
The union, however, maintains that public holidays should generally be preserved for workers, except for essential services like healthcare and emergency response. OGBL argues that the notion of voluntary work does not absolve employers of their legal duties concerning holiday compensation, stressing the importance of adherence to labor regulations.
To ensure compliance, OGBL has urged employees who worked on the holiday, particularly those not in management positions, to meticulously examine their payslips for the legally mandated additional pay. The union has advised those who find discrepancies to reach out to their human resources departments or staff representatives to rectify any issues regarding their compensation.