Amazon’s decision to close its Québec warehouses is an attempt to avoid unionization and evade labour obligations, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) alleges in a complaint filed with the Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT).
The union is seeking an order to reopen the seven affected warehouses and compensate workers for lost wages and damages. It argues that Amazon is not withdrawing from the Québec market but is instead restructuring to sidestep its responsibilities under the province’s Labour Code.
“Amazon isn’t ceasing its online sales activities in Québec. It is reorganizing its operations to escape its obligations as an employer,” the complaint states.
The closures come just months after the company invested heavily in its “last mile” strategy, which relies on local warehouses for same-day delivery. Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy described these facilities as a cost-effective way to serve customers in an October 2024 statement.
The CSN alleges the move is part of a broader effort to prevent unionization. It points to a history of anti-union tactics at Amazon’s Québec warehouses, including the company’s refusal to bargain after the ALT certified a union at the DXT4 facility in Laval last May. The Tribunal previously ruled against Amazon for interfering in the unionization process at its Lachine warehouse.
Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN, said the closures are a direct attack on workers’ rights. “There is no other explanation for this decision,” she said. “It is a blatant violation of our laws and the fundamental rights enshrined in our Charters.”
The union is asking the Tribunal to reinstate the 1,900 affected employees and impose financial penalties on the company.
