Amazon still focused on Ireland as it eyes further expansion in Britain
Amazon is understood to still have major expansion plans in store for Ireland.
Amazon is understood to be still focused on major investment and expansion plans for its operations in Ireland despite remaining tight-lipped while announcing big growth plans for its business in the UK and North America.
The e-commerce and technology giant – one of the few mega employers actively recruiting during the pandemic – has said it plans to create more than 10,000 new permanent jobs in the UK, during this year, in a move that will boost its British-based workforce to more than 55,000 people.
Its announcement came a day after the world’s largest online retailer said it plans to hire 75,000 workers for its sprawling North American logistics operation, a sign the company expects increased demand to outlast the pandemic.
The Seattle-based tech giant hired some 500,000 people last year, putting its total headcount at 1.3m people at the end of March.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Amazon had received planning permission for a huge warehouse development in Dublin, due to be built this year.
The facility, reportedly due to cost about €60m, is aimed at bypassing any lingering Brexit supply chain delays and speeding up delivery rates to Amazon’s Irish-based customers.
Amazon has not formally said anything on the matter, a spokesperson saying the company doesn’t comment on “rumour and speculation”.
The developer believed to be involved in the project, Mountpark, also declined to comment. But, industry sources have suggested the project – slated for the Baldonnell Business Park in west Dublin – is still happening.
The new UK jobs will primarily be in fulfilment and parcel reception centres, but also include roles in fashion, digital marketing, engineering, video production, software development, cloud computing and AI.
Amazon has come under fire for how it treats workers, particularly warehouse and delivery staff who became frontline workers during the pandemic. Strikes and protests have become more common since the Covid outbreak began, even in the US where attempts to unionise have been unsuccessful.
New UK employees are entitled to private medical insurance, life insurance, income protection and an employee discount, worth about £700 a year. The jobs will be in corporate offices across London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cambridge, as well as roles in Amazon Web Services and operations.
Amazon announced last month it would offer raises to more than 500,000 of its hourly workers, spending $1bn on pay bumps to increase hiring at its logistics division.
• additional reporting Bloomberg
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