Image via CSN
In a major victory for Canadian workers the DXT4 facility in Laval, Quebec has become the first unionized Amazon warehouse in the country.
A group of some 200 workers organized as the Laval Amazon Workers Union affiliated with the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), the second largest trade union federation in Quebec in terms of membership which stands at around 300,000.
In a decision handed down Friday, May 10 the Quebec Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT) certified the union.
After conducting an investigation pursuant to the Labour Code, the ALT determined that a majority of employees at the DXT4 warehouse had chosen to join the union in order to negotiate their first collective agreement. The decision is enforceable and Amazon will be legally required to come to the bargaining table.
“First and foremost, this is a great victory for the men and women from Latin America, Chad, the Maghreb and Asia who were not afraid to stand up for their rights,” says CSN President Caroline Senneville. “Over the past few months, Amazon has pulled out all the stops to block our unionization campaign, flooding the workplace with scaremongering messages. DXT4 workers have given us all a lesson in courage. Of course, we hope it spreads.”
US Amazon labour leader Chris Smalls hailed the victory on X saying "Amazon workers become the 1st unionized at one of the company's Canadian warehouses! Congratulations to making history and showing it’s possible in your country there WILL be more! Proud to stand with my Canadian brothers and Sisters."
Unsurprisingly, Amazon plans to contest the certification.
Senneville said “It’s been clear from the outset: Amazon has never wanted to abide by the legal framework governing labour relations in Quebec. Amazon is actually asking for the Labour Code to be suspended while it clogs the courts with motions in a last-ditch effort to prevent its employees from joining together to improve their lot. But an American multinational can’t come in and dictate our laws. We have full confidence in our judicial system and have no doubt that it will find that our Labour Code is consistent with the Charter, no matter what Amazon says.”