Groups call for Amazon boycott after 4,500 jobs lost in Quebec
Posted November 28, 2025 11:57 am.
Last Updated November 28, 2025 4:43 pm.
The Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants (CTI) and the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) called on the public to boycott Amazon during the holiday season after the company closed several distribution centers in Quebec, leaving 4,500 people without work.
Protest held on Black Friday
Several activists from the CTI and CSN took to the streets of downtown Montreal on Black Friday to distribute leaflets, encouraging shoppers to support local businesses rather than Amazon.
A press briefing was held Friday morning in front of the office of Quebec’s Minister of Labour, Jean Boulet. Organizers said the minister’s inaction had worsened the situation for families affected by the closures.
Union leaders speak out
Bertrand Guibord, president of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN, said the protest was meant to remind the public that the boycott is ongoing.
“On Black Friday, on Prime Day, we want to remind the population that the boycott is still going on,” Guibord said.
Guibord accused Amazon of not following the provincial laws and criticized the e-commerce giant for retaliating against workers’ unionizing.
“The hearings in Amazon’s lawsuit clearly demonstrate the concomitance between the unionization of the DXT4 warehouse, a first in Canada, and Amazon’s decision to close its warehouses,” Guibord said. “Such retaliation, which intimidates any employee who would like to unionize, here or elsewhere, is illegal.”
He said that up to 4,500 people, including delivery drivers and warehouse employees, lost their income due to Amazon’s decision to close its facilities in the region.
Guibord said the union will continue to put pressure on the company and the government until the warehouses are re-opened and the layoffs are cancelled.
“We have to stand together to show Amazon that if it wants to do business in Quebec, it has to respect our laws, respect our workers and respect the population,” he added. “We will be behind the workers until they get what they deserve, which is their job back.”
Guibord said that while people were paying attention to the boycott, many also rely on Amazon due to its “overwhelming” presence.
“Some people basically have no choice dealing with them, but they know what’s happening and they wish they could do something more,” he explained. “So we’re here to remind them.”
Impact on workers
Mostafa Henaway, community organizer for the ITC, said the protest coincided with the busiest online shopping day of the year.
“When really people are still receiving their packages, people are still ordering online, Amazon still controls remotely through its subcontractors, the same warehouses, but with worse conditions.” Henaway said.
“Workers still don’t have jobs, their unemployment insurance is about to run out, workers are still being taken to court by Amazon,” Henaway added. “So the story of Amazon hasn’t finished, even though Amazon claims it’s finished with Quebec.”
Henaway said the workers laid off by Amazon had a difficult time finding other jobs because of the controversy surrounding unionizing efforts.
“A lot of companies, when they see that you worked at Amazon, you’re kind of blacklisted in a way because they think you’re with the union, right? And that you’re going to be a troublemaker,” he explained.
He said that was the reason why, despite the poor conditions people were willing to get their jobs back.
“The injury rates (at Amazon) are quite high. So there was a physical toll on people,” he said.
Félix Trudeau, president of the Syndicat des travailleuses et travailleurs d’Amazon Laval-CSN, also blamed the government and Amazon for not providing assistance to laid off workers.
“With the complicity of the CAQ government, Amazon has not put in place the job search assistance measures provided for by law in the event of collective layoffs,” Trudeau said.
Henaway said the protest also aimed to pressure the government to act. He hoped that the government and the Minister of Labour Jean Boulet would step in to bail out workers.
“We see in a lot of different situations that the government enact special measures and mass layoffs,” he continued, “There could be support, the Ministry could implement what’s called the Reclassification Committee.”
But, ultimately, he said Amazon has to be held accountable.
“If Amazon gets away with closing its doors because simply workers want a union or better work conditions, what does that mean for other workplaces, right? This actually just isn’t about Amazon. This is about the rights of everybody who wants a decent and safe job in this province.”
