A union has been certified at an Amazon warehouse in Laval, Que., marking the first such unionization at the company’s Canadian facilities.
The Laval Amazon Workers Union—CSN will now represent employees at the DXT4 warehouse as they seek to negotiate their initial collective agreement.
The Administrative Labour Tribunal’s (ALT) ruling follows an investigation under the Labour Code, confirming that a majority of DXT4 employees supported unionization. Amazon is now legally obligated to engage in collective bargaining with the newly certified union, CSN said in a press release.
CSN President Caroline Senneville commented on the certification, highlighting the diverse backgrounds of the workers involved: “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,” she said. Senneville also accused Amazon of intense opposition to the unionization efforts, including the dissemination of what she termed “scaremongering messages” within the workplace.
The union drive began in earnest on April 19 when the CSN applied to the ALT to represent approximately 200 employees at the warehouse located on Ernest-Cormier Street. Workers have expressed dissatisfaction with several aspects of their employment conditions, including high work pace, inadequate health and safety measures, and comparatively low wages.
In response to the ALT’s decision, Amazon’s legal team, retained just before the ruling, announced plans to challenge the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Québec Labour Code, asserting that these may infringe upon workers’ rights to freedom of association as outlined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Senneville criticized Amazon’s legal strategies, asserting, “It’s been clear from the outset: Amazon has never wanted to abide by the legal framework governing labour relations in Québec.” She expressed confidence in the judicial system’s support for the Labour Code against Amazon’s challenge.
The union is poised to conduct its first general assembly soon, which will focus on adopting its constitution and bylaws, electing representatives, and beginning consultations to prepare its list of demands.
