A Quebec-based union, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux, has been certified by the province’s Administrative Labour Tribunal to represent around 200 Amazon.com Inc. workers. This marks the first time in Canada that employees have unionized at an Amazon warehouse.
Workers at the DXT4 warehouse in Laval will hold their first general assembly to adopt a constitution and bylaws, elect representatives, and launch a consultation to prepare a list of contract demands. Amazon, however, is challenging the labour board’s decision to certify the union, citing issues with card-check certification, where a union application can be certified without a vote if a majority of workers sign a union card.
Amazon employees have the right to choose whether or not to be in a union, but the company doesn’t think unions are the best option for its employees. The Confédération des syndicats nationaux represents 330,000 workers across various industries in Quebec and Canada.
In April, Unifor filed applications to represent workers at two Amazon warehouses in New Westminster and Delta, B.C., but withdrew its applications and accused the e-commerce giant of providing a “suspiciously high” employee count. Unifor has promised to re-double its efforts to unionize the two fulfillment centers.
Source: BNN Bloomberg
