In 2024 the news was full of stories of the GMB Union’s fight for formal recognition at Amazon’s BHX4 Coventry warehouse. Yet, despite skyrocketing membership, the union narrowly lost a ballot that would have forced Amazon to grant them this recognition. 

In this episode of the Transforming Business podcast, Martin Parker speaks with Tom Vickers, author of ‘Organizing Amazon’, about the union’s successes but also their unfortunate setbacks. 

They discuss Amazon’s formal, and informal, stances on trade unions, the innovative approach GMB took to develop leadership for the movement from the ground up, and how the lessons learned from this campaign are not only helpful for other Amazon warehouses but for workers far beyond the Amazon ecosystem.

Tom Vickers is Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the GMB-NTU Work Futures Research Observatory at Nottingham Trent University.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/professional-business/organizing-amazon

The transcript is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2026/01/26/podcast-building-worker-power-at-amazon-and-beyond/

Timestamps:

00:38 - How did you start writing about Amazon?

03:37 - What is Amazon's background with trade unions?

08:52 - Why are Amazon management so hostile to trade union organisation?

11:31 - What is the story with trade unions and Amazon's Coventry BHX4 warehouse?

18:11 - How did the GMB work with the workforce?

23:41 - What is the present situation at the BHX4 warehouse?

27:25 - What are the general lessons we can learn from the BHX4 story?

30:25 - Do you think we'll see more pushback with the increase of AI driven workplaces?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com 

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