Amazon to Axe 590 Jobs at Milton Keynes Fulfilment Centre, Offer Transfer to Larger Northampton Site
In a move that's likely to ruffle some feathers among British workers, Amazon has announced plans to close one of its UK fulfilment centres in Milton Keynes, sparking concerns about the impact on staff and local communities. The decision affects 590 employees who will be offered a chance to transfer to the company's new site in Northampton, which boasts a whopping £500m price tag and is set to employ up to 2,000 people.
The closure of the Milton Keynes centre, which first opened its doors in 1998, appears to be part of Amazon's ongoing evaluation of its network. A spokesperson for the company maintained that they're constantly assessing their operations to ensure they remain "fit for our business needs and improve the experience for our employees and customers."
While the offer of a transfer to Northampton may seem like a lifeline for affected workers, many will likely be disappointed by the relatively short notice period. The closure is set to take place after a consultation process that's yet to begin in earnest.
On the plus side, Amazon has promised to provide support for those impacted by the decision. However, with the Northampton site expected to open just months after the Milton Keynes centre closes, some may wonder whether this move amounts to a hollow gesture of goodwill rather than genuine investment in the community.
Meanwhile, the larger logistics operation housed in nearby Milton Keynes remains unaffected by the proposals, sparking questions about why the company is choosing to close one facility while expanding another. Regardless of the reasoning behind Amazon's decision, its impact on local workers and businesses will undoubtedly be felt for a long time to come.
In a move that's likely to ruffle some feathers among British workers, Amazon has announced plans to close one of its UK fulfilment centres in Milton Keynes, sparking concerns about the impact on staff and local communities. The decision affects 590 employees who will be offered a chance to transfer to the company's new site in Northampton, which boasts a whopping £500m price tag and is set to employ up to 2,000 people.
The closure of the Milton Keynes centre, which first opened its doors in 1998, appears to be part of Amazon's ongoing evaluation of its network. A spokesperson for the company maintained that they're constantly assessing their operations to ensure they remain "fit for our business needs and improve the experience for our employees and customers."
While the offer of a transfer to Northampton may seem like a lifeline for affected workers, many will likely be disappointed by the relatively short notice period. The closure is set to take place after a consultation process that's yet to begin in earnest.
On the plus side, Amazon has promised to provide support for those impacted by the decision. However, with the Northampton site expected to open just months after the Milton Keynes centre closes, some may wonder whether this move amounts to a hollow gesture of goodwill rather than genuine investment in the community.
Meanwhile, the larger logistics operation housed in nearby Milton Keynes remains unaffected by the proposals, sparking questions about why the company is choosing to close one facility while expanding another. Regardless of the reasoning behind Amazon's decision, its impact on local workers and businesses will undoubtedly be felt for a long time to come.
they must have been working really hard there for years only to get the chop at such short notice 
not exactly the most compassionate thing amazon could do 
Can't say I'm surprised, 590 jobs just to make way for £500m expansion? 
This decision just feels like a slap in the face - 590 jobs, gone. Transfer offer sounds hollow if it's not concrete 
Doesn't make sense to me. All that money put into Northampton and what do they expect? Overnight success? 
The real question is, how's this gonna affect the local economy?
what kinda business does that? they're all about 'fulfilling' customers or whatever but it seems to me they just care about cutting costs 
i mean, transferring jobs to northampton might seem like a good thing on paper but have you thought about the people who are left behind in milton keynes with no job & no way to support themselves? 
what's gonna happen to them? anyway, gotta give 'em some credit tho - they're at least offering some support 
amazon might be saying it's part of their ongoing evaluation but it feels like they're just trying to cut costs 
not sure why they can't just invest in their current operations instead of opening a brand new one 
. all that $$$ for the new site in northampton is just a drop in the bucket compared to how much amazon rakes in from those affected employees 
. what about all the other workers who are gonna lose their jobs 2 years down the line when the new centre opens? 
like they think a fancy new £500m building in northampton is gonna make up for ruining people's lives. and what's with all these layoffs anyway? can't they just raise wages instead of cutting jobs? also, why not just put the new facility in milton keynes itself? 
They've been doing that Amazon job since '98 and now they're just getting the axe 
without even having their chance to breathe? I mean, £500m is a pretty penny for Northampton site, but what's the real story here? It feels like Amazon's trying to squeeze more out of our workers than actually helping them 
.
. I mean, who needs that much turnover in one place? Northampton gets a £500m site, nice bonus for them! But still, not sure why they have to close one and keep the other... maybe they're trying to optimize or something? Anyway, gotta feel for those Milton Keynes workers... 
! At least they'll get transferred to a new site, but it's still super short notice 
. And honestly, I'm a bit confused about the whole situation - one centre closes and another opens just months later... seems like Amazon is playing with fire 
. Fingers crossed for those affected workers and their families 