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ARTICLE · 24 FEBRUARY 2025

Amazon's Quebec Shutdown: What It Means For Canadian Workers And Union Rights

Nelligan Law
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CSN represents Amazon workers at the Laval, Quebec warehouse, who were poised to sign Amazon's first collective agreement in North America within the year.

CanadaEmployment and HR
Kyle Anderson
Kyle Anderson

On February 5th, 2025, The CSN Union called on Canadian consumers to boycott all Amazon products.

CSN represents Amazon workers at the Laval, Quebec warehouse, who were poised to sign Amazon's first collective agreement in North America within the year. Experts commented that Quebec's strong labour laws would have soon required Amazon and its workers to negotiate a collective agreement, or face binding arbitration. However, that prospect was dashed, on January 22nd, when Amazon announced it would shut down all seven of its facilities across Quebec.

CSN called this move a clear retaliation against the Laval worker's collectivization efforts, and a violation of Quebec's Labour Code provisions, which protect worker's attempts to organize from employer retaliation. Amazon representatives claim their decision came to a simple calculus of reducing Amazon consumers' costs. Instead, Amazon is opting to replace its Quebec employees, and revert to its former

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