French Version

On January 22, 2025, Amazon announced its decision to close all seven of its facilities in Quebec, resulting in the loss of approximately 4500 jobs (many of them are asylum seekers, international students and families relying on this income). The company stated that this move is part of a strategic shift to revert to using local third-party delivery services to provide greater savings to customers.

However, this decision comes shortly after the successful unionization of the DXT4 warehouse in Laval in May 2024, marking the first Amazon facility in Canada to unionize. This timing has led to widespread speculation that Amazon's withdrawal from Quebec is a retaliatory measure against unionization efforts. The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), representing the unionized workers, has condemned the closures as a direct attack on workers' rights and a violation of the Quebec Labour Code.

Worker Exploitation and Injuries: Amazon's demanding work environment has been associated with high injury rates. Workers often face strenuous conditions, leading to significant physical strain. Reports indicate that Amazon employs tactics to avoid compensating injured workers, forcing many to pursue legal action to receive due compensation.

Government Subsidies: Despite Amazon's substantial profits, the provincial and federal governments have provided the company with hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies. This support persists even as Amazon abandons its Quebec workforce, highlighting a troubling imbalance between corporate interests and worker welfare.

We, the undersigned, call for the following actions:

1. Reverse Amazon's closure-keep the jobs in Quebec. If that does not happen:
2. Recognition of all Amazon workers, including drivers, as Amazon employees by the CNESST, and ensuring their collective dismissal right are respected.
3. One year of compensation for all affected workers laid off since January 2025, including all benefits, regardless of status (white badge, blue badge or subcontracted).
4. End all government contracts with Amazon, from purchasing agreements to Amazon Web Services (AWS).
5. Reclaim taxpayer money-Amazon must return all government subsidies and financial support from the moment of their establishment of Quebec.
6. Stronger labour laws to prevent companies from using closures and subcontracting to silence workers and strip them of their fundamental labour rights.
7. We are also calling for a boycott of Amazon products.

This fight goes beyond jobs-it is about justice, dignity, respect and our future.

CSN​

Boycottamazon​

Immigrant worker center​

Amazon workers commitee​

Alliance Ouvrière