Amazon accused of threatening to sack workers for sick leave at its Scotland warehouse

Amazon has been accused of mistreating workers at its Scotland warehouse, with the threat of job loss for workers taking sick leave or missing targets. The retail giant is also facing allegations of paying its staff so low that some workers are forced to opt to camp outside the warehouse to save commuting costs, according to reports.

Amazon also recently came under fire after local activists alleged that the tech giant's staffers were working up to 60 hours a week for little more than minimum wage. According to a report by the Courier, at least three tents were uncovered, pitched close to the Dunfermline warehouse near the M90.

According to a report by The Times, workers at the Fife site receive a point, every time they were sick, despite having a doctor's note. Points are also doled out when workers make too many errors while packing orders. Any staffer with between four to six points reportedly faces a disciplinary hearing and could potentially face termination.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, who was previously called for Amazon to improve working conditions, slammed the online retail giant, adding that the firm needed to "take a long, hard look at themselves and change their ways."

Rennie said, "Amazon should be ashamed that they pay their workers so little that they have to camp out in the dead of winter to make ends meet. They pay a small amount of tax and received millions of the pounds from the SNP Government so the least they should do is pay the proper living wage."

"The fares the company charge for transport swallow up a lot of the weekly wage which is forcing people to seek ever more desperate ways of making work pay."

Amazon has employed 20,000 agency workers for its peak Christmas season, which more than doubles its usual workforce, according to a report by the Guardian. Staffers located elsewhere are required to pay to catch an agency bus to the Fife site.

Amazon said it "provides a safe and positive workplace with competitive pay and benefits from day one".

The firm added: "We are proud to have been able to create several thousand new permanent roles in our UK fulfilment centres over the last five years. One of the reasons we've been able to attract so many people to join us is that we offer great jobs and a positive work environment with opportunities for growth.

"As with nearly all companies, we expect a certain level of performance from our associates. Productivity targets are set objectively, based on previous performance levels achieved by our workforce."