Amazon’s long-standing resistance to trade unions is grabbing more global headlines - this time in Quebec. Following the closure of multiple warehouses in the province, thousands of workers have been laid off, prompting legal action and calls for a boycott. 

The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), a major union federation in Quebec, is spearheading the fight against the tech giant, which it views as attempting to pull the rug on unionisation efforts. The closures impact facilities in Laval, Lachine, Longueuil, and Côteaux-du-Lac, with more than 4,600 workers affected. Amazon claims the shutdown is part of a strategic efficiency initiative, and that they are simply returning to a model using subcontractors.  

CSN President Caroline Senneville believes that’s a ruse: “They’re not fooling anyone. The only reason for Amazon to have a different business model just for Quebec is that there’s a union here.” 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, condemned Amazon’s actions, calling them “shameful.” In a letter to Amazon workers, he expressed solidarity and criticized the company’s unwillingness to negotiate with unions, saying, “As one of the richest companies in the world, it is disgraceful that Amazon would rather sack low-paid workers than share profits more fairly with their hard-working workforce.” 

Kevin commended the unions resolve and offered them the old Gaelic phrase “Ní neart go cur le chéile – There is no strength without unity” as a guiding motto as they battle Goliath.  

The mood on the ground among workers is resolute. Standing in the snow outside a warehouse north of Montreal one worker told City News, a local Canadian newswire: “We will not take this lying down as Quebec, as Amazon workers.” 

“We’re human, we're not just simple objects” said Corali O’Campo, another worker whose job is due to be terminated later this week.  

The CSN has announced plans to pursue legal action to halt the layoffs, reinstate workers, and seek damages. “What it calls its ‘new business model’ is just an attempt to circumvent its obligations under the Labour Code,” Federation President Caroline Senneville said in a statement. “The court should recognize that this scheme violates the law, and it can then order the reinstatement of Amazon’s workers.” 

The union will also stage an anti-Amazon demonstration in Montreal on 15 February and is urging Quebecers to cut the cord with Amazon’s services, including Amazon Prime. 

Uguelin Jean-Baptiste, a former worker at Amazon’s DXT4 warehouse in Laval, described the dire working conditions that prompted unionization efforts. “There were hundreds of injuries in a span of about two to three months,” Jean told the Montreal City News. “The workers had to go see doctors and do physiotherapy because it’s an extremely physically demanding job. 

This latest unrest takes place against the backdrop of a broader fight against Amazon in North America. The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) made history in April 2022 by successfully unionizing the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, New York, despite fierce opposition from the company.  

However, Amazon has continued to challenge union efforts, often deploying aggressive anti-union tactics, including mandatory anti-union meetings and firings of pro-union employees. 

The ongoing battle took another dramatic turn in December 2024 when the International Brotherhood of Teamsters organized the largest-ever strike against Amazon in US history. Thousands of Amazon warehouse workers and drivers walked off the job in cities such as New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Chicago.  

Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien squarely blamed Amazon for the Christmas disruption: “These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they’ve pushed workers to the limit, and now they’re paying the price.” 

Despite Amazon’s deep pockets and relentless anti-union strategies, the labour movement appears to be gaining momentum. Nearly 10,000 Amazon workers have joined the Teamsters, and more union drives are underway across North America. Union advocates see the Quebec layoffs as part of a broader pattern of corporate retaliation against labour activism. 

For many organisers the battle to win in Amazon represents an existential fight for the very future of the union movement itself. 

“This is not just about one warehouse or one city,” said Leah Pensler, a warehouse worker in San Francisco during December’s Teamster led stand-off.  “This is a fight for all of us who want fair wages, safer conditions, and respect on the job. 

Photos by Joe Piette

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