The new contracts, now being phased in at all Amazon’s fulfilment centres, will be rolled out to sort centres and delivery stations across the UK later this year, the company said.

The new contracts guarantee time off for the six-week summer break, as well as the two-week Easter and Christmas holiday periods, without affecting workers’ other benefits.

The company said the contracts were aimed at better supporting family needs. They were successfully trialled at three sites following employee feedback, and are now being phased in for employees across all Amazon’s fulfilment centres – the places where Amazon store, pick and pack items for sale, with UK sort centres and delivery stations to follow later this year.

Amazon also announced a new flexible part-time contract for a minimum of 80 hours a month, which lets employees pick and mix the shifts that suit their needs: part-day or full-day, day or night, weekday or weekend. The contract will support people who are unable to find work due to family or other commitments that require flexibility to return to the workplace, the company said.

As with all roles at Amazon, a current employee could refer a friend or family member to this option, which could also provide similar, required flexibility to a partner at home. The part-time contract, piloted at five fulfilment centres and now being expanded to a further seven sites, was also introduced as a result of employee feedback, the company said

A standard working week is 40 hours, with shift-swaps and part-time options. Term-time contracts are now available to thousands of Amazon’s fulfilment centre employees. The part-time ‘pick-your-shift’ option has been rolled out to seven fulfilment centres following a successful trial, with more sites soon to follow.

The offer of new contracts comes as Amazon is locked in a dispute with the GMB, after months of strikes at its Coventry warehouse.

The Guardian reports that GMB members at the Coventry centre have taken 16 days of strike action since January. They have been demanding a pay increase to £15 an hour, from £11, and have previously said they were frustrated by the company’s refusal to talk.

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