Amazon is shutting down seven warehouses in Quebec, resulting in more than 2,000 job losses, a move that has sparked criticism from Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union.
The company said the decision is part of a restructuring effort and is unrelated to recent unionization efforts in the province. However, Unifor called the closures a blow to workers and accused Amazon of prioritizing profits over employees.
“This is exactly what happens when companies are left to do as they please, without any framework or labour laws with real teeth,” said Lana Payne, Unifor’s national president. “Decisions motivated solely by profit are too often made to the detriment of workers. It’s union-busting that should never be allowed in our country.”
The closures also prompted support from Unifor for the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), a labour federation that has pushed for improved conditions for Quebec’s unionized Amazon employees.
“These closures underline the importance for workers to be part of a union and to be able to count on a strong collective voice to defend their rights,” said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor’s Quebec director. “The best way for precarious workers to protect themselves is to join a union.”
Unifor, which represents more than 7,000 warehouse workers nationwide, has been running a national campaign, Warehouse Workers Unite, to organize workers and bolster labour rights in the industry.
Amazon’s Quebec restructuring comes amid a broader debate over the challenges facing warehouse workers, including job precarity and efforts to unionize in a sector dominated by large corporations.
