Amazon workers in Quebec call for government intervention after mass layoffs

In the wake of Amazon’s mass layoffs of over 4,500 workers across Quebec, a rally was held outside of the Quebec Labour Ministry’s Montreal office on Wednesday to demand immediate government intervention.

A few dozen laid off workers and supporters came together to denounce the closure of seven warehouses, calling them “a direct attack on the rights and dignity of all workers.”

A press conference was held outside the building at 1 p.m., featuring unionized and non-unionized Amazon workers.

Quebec’s Labour Ministry told CityNews last week that over 4,600 people have been laid off – roughly 1,700 regular employees, 300 temporary seasonal workers, and the rest being smaller carriers subcontracted by the company. They previously warned that the number could continue to grow.

“It was like a big slap on my face. Big slap,” said Andy Remarais, a non-unionized Amazon worker from the company’s YUL5 fulfillment center in Longueuil.

Employees and the CSN union accused the e-commerce goliath of closing its warehouses in the province to punish employees at for unionizing last May at Laval’s DXT4, Canada’s only unionized Amazon location.

“The way they treat us, the way they respond to everything is not fair for the worker,” Remarais said, adding that he would like to see Quebecers boycotting the online retailer in response to last month’s closures.

Wednesday was Remarais’ final day on the job before being laid off. He said that both workers and consumers were in it together to hit back at Amazon.

“If you have Amazon Prime: boycott it,” he said.

Amazon previously dismissed claims that the layoffs are linked to a recent unionization push in the province, saying instead that it was about increasing efficiency.

“We respect people’s right to peacefully protest. The decision to revert back to a third-party delivery model in Quebec supported by local small businesses, similar to what we had until 2020, will allow us to provide the same great service and even more savings to our customers over the long run,” Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said to CityNews in an email. “In making this decision, we’ve complied and will continue to comply with all applicable federal and provincial laws.”

According to a press release, the workers’ demands include that Amazon’s closures in Quebec be reversed. They also demand that the company include compensating those affected by layoffs with one year of pay, including all benefits, regardless of employee status.

“A lot of workers need the real severance because a lot of workers who work part-time are studying they don’t have access to (employment insurance),” said community organizer Mostafa Henaway of the Immigrant Workers Centre.

If not possible, they want to see all workers recognized under CNESST regulations to ensure their collective dismissal rights.

“We’ve been supporting the non-unionized workers because Amazon’s layoffs are so massive,” Henaway said. “There is the union in Laval and CSN represents those workers (…) but for the overwhelming majority of the workers, they remain non-unionized without collective support.”

Impacted employees were offered a package that includes up to 14 weeks’ pay after facilities close and transitional benefits, like job placement resources.

The union called on the government to end all contracts with Amazon, including purchasing agreements and Amazon Web Services (AWS). They also want to see labour laws strengthened to “prevent corporations from using closures and subcontracting to silence workers and strip them of fundamental rights.”

“If the government doesn’t back workers in terms of their demands, then Amazon is going to get away with what it’s doing,” Henaway said.

CityNews reached out to the Quebec Labour Ministry but did not yet hear back.

“The Quebec government must hold Amazon accountable and ensure justice for every worker affected,” reads the press release.