Union furious

Amazon closes sites in Quebec, Canada

The CSN union described the closures as part of a campaign against the union and the employees.(Bild: dvoevnore - stock.adobe.com)

Amazon is closing its own operations in the Canadian province of Quebec. Over the next two months, seven locations there will be closed, affecting around 1,700 full-time positions, the company announced on Wednesday. Quebec is the only province in Canada with unionized Amazon employees.

The CSN union was furious. The closures are part of a campaign against the union and the employees, said CSN President Caroline Senneville. The closure also violates the labor law. They will fight back resolutely.

Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne explained that he had spoken to the head of Amazon Canada and expressed the government's dismay and frustration. "This is not the way business is done in Canada," he wrote on X.

Amazon warehouse workers first unionized in May
Amazon warehouse workers represented by the CSN first unionized in May. They had expressed dissatisfaction with pay and the health and safety measures in the facilities.

Amazon stated that it would return to a third-party delivery model based on small local businesses. A similar model already existed before 2020. The return to this will allow the company to "offer our customers even more savings", said Amazon spokeswoman Barbara Agrait. Affected employees will be offered cushioning measures that include up to 14 weeks' pay and transitional benefits such as job placement.