The battle between Amazon and workers in Quebec is being taken to the streets — or alternatively, kicked to the curb.
That’s because Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) is set to file a lawsuit today, challenging the company’s decision to close all seven of its facilities in the province.
CSN president Caroline Senneville confirmed that the union’s legal department has been working intensively to prepare the lawsuit, which will be formally announced Tuesday. The suit is expected to argue that Amazon violated Quebec’s labour code and seek compensation for affected workers.
Amazon announced on January 22 that it would shut down its Quebec operations over the next few months, initially stating that about 2,000 permanent and temporary workers would be laid off. However, Quebec’s Ministry of Labour has since confirmed that the real number including delivery service partners exceeds 4,500 job losses.
Senneville pointed to a pattern of large corporations shutting down Quebec operations when workers attempt to unionize, citing Walmart’s 2005 closure in Jonquière, near Saguenay. While Amazon has denied any link between the unionization efforts and its decision, the Laval warehouse was the first in Canada to successfully unionize less than a year ago.
However, a senior economist at the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), warned that Amazon’s vast financial resources could make the legal fight an uphill battle for the union. “These cases drag on for years, by which time many workers will have moved on,†said DT Cochrane. “Even if the union wins, the financial impact on Amazon will be minimal.”
In response to criticism, Amazon has stated that its decision was based on improving efficiency and savings for customers. “Our employees have always had the choice to join a union, and we respect their decision,” a company spokesperson said in a statement, adding that Amazon already offers competitive wages and benefits.
But the CSN argues Amazon’s wages lag behind industry standards by as much as $8 per hour and alleges the company discourages employees from reporting workplace injuries. At the unionized Laval warehouse, 160 of 200 workers reportedly filed injury claims within a year, with many being told to “take some Tylenol and rest” rather than seek formal compensation.
Alongside its legal action, the union is urging consumers to boycott Amazon by cancelling Prime memberships and avoiding purchases from the platform.
Industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in January that Amazon’s decision is “unacceptable,” and vowed to implement a review of the business relationship between the company and contracts with the Canadian government.