Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced that it is hiring more than 2,500 full-time employees to work at its fulfillment centers across the United States.
Amazon offering highly competitive wages
According to the e-commerce giant, it is offering highly-competitive wage, comprehensive benefits, bonuses, and stock awards. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) emphasized that the average salary inside its fulfillment centers is 30% higher than the traditional retail jobs.
In a statement, Mike Roth, vice president of North America operations at Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) said, “Today, we’re excited to announce 2,500 full-time jobs, bringing new employment opportunities to local communities across the country.”
Roth added that the e-commerce giant hired more than 20,000 people working full-time at its fulfillment centers in the United States. According to him, more than half of those employees started as seasonal employees.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) said positions available are in Chester and Petersburg, Virginia, Coffeyville, Kansas, Columbia, Sothern Carolina, Dupont, Washington; Murfreesboro, Tennessee. According to the company, fulfillment center jobs picking, packing and shipping customer orders are available in these locations.
Benefits package
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) said the comprehensive benefits package offered to employees include health care starting on the first day of their employment, 401(k) matching, and performance-based bonuses. The e-commerce giant has also a Career Choice program for eligible employees who want to go back to school to learn additional skills. Amazon pre-pays 95% of the tuition.
The e-commerce giant has 117,300 full-time and part-time employees as of December 31, 2013 based on its regulatory filing.
Strike in Germany
In December, last year, the employees of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) at its fulfillment center in Germany went on strike led by Verdi Union, which was pushing the company to accept a collective bargaining agreement for the workers. The union complained that the e-commerce giant was not paying wages comparable with other warehouse employees in Germany.
“The Amazon system is characterized by low wages, permanent performance pressure and short-term contracts,” according to Verdi Union in a statement. The e-commerce giant has 9,000 employees in Germany.