Amazon to close 7 warehouses in the Canadian province of Quebec and eliminate 1,700 jobs

Online retailer Amazon said Wednesday that it’s closing each 7 of its warehouses successful the Canadian state of Quebec successful the adjacent 2 months.

The e-commerce giant said the determination would supply “even much savings to our customers implicit the agelong run.” However, a Canadian national that successfully unionized 1 warehouse accused the institution of closing its sites to fend disconnected organizing efforts successful the region.

The closures volition destruct astir 1,700 imperishable full-time jobs successful the greater Montreal area, Amazon said. The warehouses besides employment 250 impermanent employees.

Amazon said it would enlist local, third-party companies to present packages, reverting to a concern exemplary it utilized successful Quebec earlier 2020.

“This determination wasn’t made lightly, and we’re offering impacted employees a bundle that includes up to 14 weeks’ wage aft facilities adjacent and transitional benefits, similar occupation placement resources,” Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said successful a statement.

Agrait said the determination was made pursuing a “recent review” of the company’s operations successful the province. The closing sites see 1 fulfillment center, 2 sorting centers, 3 transportation stations and a installation Amazon dubs AMXL due to the fact that it immunodeficiency successful the shipment of ample goods specified arsenic TVs and furniture.

Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne wrote connected the societal media level X that helium had contacted the caput of Amazon’s operations successful Canada to stock his objections.

“I expressed our dismay and vexation aft learning successful the quality that they mean to fto spell of 1,700 employees and adjacent each 7 of their warehouses successful Quebec,” Champagne said. “This is not the mode concern is done successful Canada.”

About 240 Amazon workers astatine a institution warehouse successful Laval, a Montreal suburb, unionized successful May, becoming the archetypal of the tech company’s Canadian warehouses to bash so. Amazon challenged the union’s close to correspond the workers but mislaid astatine a provincial labor tribunal successful October.

Caroline Senneville, president of the national progressive with the organizing successful Laval, said she has “no doubt” that Wednesday’s closures, which she called “a slap successful the look for each Quebec workers,” were portion of an anti-union campaign.

“It’s a determination that runs antagonistic to the provisions of the Labour Code, and 1 we’ll beryllium taking a steadfast basal against,” she said successful a property release.

Michael Lynk, a Western University prof emeritus of law, said helium saw Amazon’s determination arsenic “a labour relations ‘Groundhog Day’” for Quebec, wherever a akin concern played retired 20 years agone with Walmart Canada.

Walmart closed a store successful Jonquiere, Quebec, citing profitability troubles conscionable months aft workers determination received national certification.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union decided to combat backmost and, successful 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed Walmart violated Quebec labour law.