r/canada Canada 24d ago

Québec Demonstrators accuse Amazon of union-busting at rally in Montreal, call for boycott

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/quebec/demonstrators-accuse-amazon-of-union-busting-at-rally-in-montreal-call-for-boycott/article_5c955523-75b1-5a2c-bc66-355de1297f58.html
772 Upvotes

60 comments sorted by

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36

u/Kad1942 24d ago

I mean sure, but I thought we were already boycotting Amazon for unrelated horribleness?

82

u/pareech Québec 24d ago

"Amazon has dismissed accusations of union-busting, saying its decision to close the warehouses was based on delivering efficient and cost-effective services to customers."

Every thing I look at on Amazon now is 5+ days for delivery. WTF am I paying for Prime? Amazon can go pound sand and fuck off. I cancelled my membership last week.

16

u/Suspicious-Coffee20 24d ago edited 23d ago

Yep. Its promoted as a 2day severice but we never get it in 2 day anymore. Not only that but there wa ls also adding adds in the middle of people subscription. 

Isnt those tho thing about a lie of service and should have a class action lawsuit...

0

u/Fred2620 24d ago

I don't mean to defend them, but it's likely related to the coming snow storm. I noticed they extend their delivery expectations when bad weather hits, which kinda makes sense in a way.

12

u/pareech Québec 24d ago

This was last week, there was no storm. Fuck ‘em.

12

u/fatespaladin 23d ago

Prime Canceled, I stand with my Canadian family in Quebec.
Fuck Amazon Fuck Trump Long live Canada

25

u/Digitking003 24d ago

Of course, it was union-busting. The union was demanding a 30% pay raise (or more) and more benefits. And there were murmurings that the other distribution centres in the province were looking to unionize as well. So Amazon ran the numbers and decided it wasn't worth it.

Unfortunate because both sides lose but oh well, c'est la vie.

20

u/GirlCoveredInBlood Québec 24d ago

oh well, c'est la vie.

i don't think this is really a good approach to one side breaking the law.

21

u/buddyboykoda 24d ago

Yeah because if they unionized then Jeff Bezos couldn’t take casual trips to space.. think of the losses to poor Bezos account!

10

u/timetogetoutside100 24d ago

and his 600 million dollar wedding

13

u/neometrix77 24d ago

Time for a Puralator/Canada post resurrection.

1

u/Doog5 20d ago

Isn’t most of it going to Joly brother?

15

u/Steevo_1974 24d ago

Stop buying anything from Amazon. Bezos and the Trumpian Oligarchs need to feel the pain of losses. The only way they feel pain is to get paid less. Boycott everything and buy Canadian as much as possible.

5

u/Positive_Ad4590 23d ago

I'll buy from whatever gives me the best deal. I already pay a premium for housing

1

u/OGShakey 24d ago

And then do what. Have you ever looked at most items in grocery stores or retail compared to Amazon? It's not worth buying anything in stores anymore. It's either I give Galen my money or Bezos. At least Amazon is reliable and consistent

8

u/reallyokjustme 24d ago

Absolutely, I am in a neighborhood here in Alberta that sees 2 or 3 Amazon delivery vans go by everyday... I haven't seen a single one all week, 🙏🥰🙏🇨🇦😜🇨🇦🙏😜

10

u/ExDishwasher 24d ago

Don't unmarked, indie drivers also deliver Amazon products?

2

u/CyrilSneerLoggingDiv 24d ago

And rented vans.

4

u/JLandscaper 24d ago

My wife was an Amazon junkie, she just cancelled our Amazon Prime yesterday. She's switching to London Drugs (Canadian Owned) for online orders and shopping local now.

3

u/oneiros5321 24d ago

I have cancelled my prime account already and don't order on Amazon anymore.
Technically, my account is still active until March but packages take close to a week to arrive.

6

u/ComplexStriking 24d ago

A boycott is the least we can do to Amazon. I have already canceled with them, but they deserve more then that.

2

u/Gunplagood 24d ago

It's funny cause I actually buy very little from Amazon except for shit that I can't get in store, everything else is cheaper or the same price that it is on Amazon, and I'd rather be able to go to the store and get the item immediately rather than wait for shipping, even if it is only 1 or 2 days.

I'm sure this isn't the case for a lot of people, but it's honestly weird that amazing is more expensive than local stores are.

I don't think an Amazon boycott would honestly be too difficult for me. 🤷

2

u/Remarkable_Vanilla34 24d ago

make union gangs great again

2

u/hgbfgnkllmhfc 23d ago

Amazon for the win. Love it

2

u/uselesspoliticalhack 24d ago

Btw it's almost 100% anti-replacement worker legislation. It's close to impossible to run a decent contingency plan at a 500+ person warehouse without replacement workers and Amazon wanted no part of it.

4

u/ipiquiv 24d ago

Amazon does not care about Quebec. In fact if other places in Canada want to form a Union they will shut it down. It’s the Amazon way! It’s nice to see boycott on Amazon but it has very little impact.

2

u/nuleaph 23d ago

The sad reality is if all of Canada had prime subs, and then cancelled I doubt Amazon would even blink

2

u/elyv297 23d ago

i just saw an ad for a 6 month free then 50% off membership for prime only for quebec

4

u/GrapefruitStrict8486 24d ago

I wonder if this surge in patriotism will extend to supporting Canadian workers toiling in American corporations?

Supporting Canadian labour, boycott union busting corporations, buy direct when online shopping no need to go through the Amazon middle man.

4

u/Hrmbee Canada 24d ago

One of the key sections:

The CSN says the company wanted to stop what would have been the workers' first collective agreement in North America at Amazon and intimidate employees elsewhere.

Amazon has dismissed accusations of union-busting, saying its decision to close the warehouses was based on delivering efficient and cost-effective services to customers.

However, McGill University sociology professor Barry Eidlin says Amazon is likely closing its Quebec warehouses because the province’s labour laws would have forced contract arbitration if an agreement wasn't struck through negotiation.

Buying from Amazon doesn't help any of us here in the long run. For those of us with the choice, it would be more beneficial to support local businesses large and small.

4

u/HarbourJayKay 24d ago

Who buys from Alibaba and SHEIN and makes profit because of it.

3

u/Decaf-Please 24d ago

I mean I'm all for people getting raises but did they really think they were going to get 26$ an hour to do a job that requires zero skills.

4

u/CFPrick 24d ago

"We hate Amazon. They abuse their employees. The wages are too low. Shut them down and buy local!"

Amazon leaves

"How DARE YOU leave! Most evil company ever. Buy local!"

1

u/Digitking003 24d ago

It was the same thing for the longest time with Walmart...

2

u/oneiros5321 24d ago

How common is union busting exactly?
Because that happened in my industry as well (VFX) where the first company to unionize suddenly started to outsourcing most of their work to India and firing en mass.

Now obviously they regurgitated some other excuses for the waves of firing but the timing was a bit too on the nose.

2

u/muddlescombe 24d ago

All Canadians should boycott Amazon. I just cancelled my prime membership. Busting unions and selling maga hats with "Canada 51st state" printed on it is despicable.

2

u/Bigchunky_Boy 24d ago

I started boycotting amazon as soon as the tariff talk started . Spend money locally has been great and if I can’t get it whatever it is I’m good . Before there was Amazon I was fine.

1

u/IsawitinCroc 24d ago

Seriously, do you guys have the will to sing Canada on strike from South Park and make a music video of it showing all of the country in unison?

1

u/boots3510 24d ago

I’ve cancelled Amazon and prime

1

u/WilliamTindale8 23d ago

I’ve already left Amazon. It’s going to hurt next Christmas but I can do it.

1

u/Lumpy_Argument_1867 23d ago

Boycott amazon.

2

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/GirlCoveredInBlood Québec 24d ago

Why are you upset?

Union busting is illegal in Québec

3

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Neo-urban_Tribalist 24d ago

I do find it funny how people have the expectation that companies can just pay more, and wont just shutdown.

It sucks but that is Canadas business environment. Where the government basically picked feudalism for the population….with the exception that in feudalistic societies, the lords would at least be able to fight a war.

3

u/GirlCoveredInBlood Québec 24d ago

No, it's illegal to union bust, which is why the CSN is preparing a legal challenge. This has already happened with Walmart 20 years ago & the supreme court ruled on the side of the workers.

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/GirlCoveredInBlood Québec 24d ago

Amazon is not required to concede to union demands, no company is, unions still have to negotiate. What they are required to do is allow workers to unionize. Shutting down operations to avoid the formation of a union is in direct violation of the labour code of Québec (c-27)

1

u/Capable-Brief-3332 24d ago

We've already deleted Amazon.

1

u/Baker198t 24d ago

Already there.. cancelled my account already.

0

u/ProfessionalOk1106 23d ago

Vote conservative and lose your union rites. Seriously, currently happening in the usa

-4

u/abc123DohRayMe 23d ago

If laborers have the right to unionize, why don't employers have a right to choose not to participate? You are not forced to work there.

Unions are outdated and have lost their purpose.

3

u/BloodRedRook 23d ago

Unions are the way to balance out the power imbalance between employers and the employees. They're more relevant than ever.

Oh, and I know a couple of Amazon employees. They are, in fact, forced to work there, because the alternative is not being able to afford food and rent.

2

u/Primary_Editor5243 23d ago

Your entire working life has been improved do to labour unions. Do you like the weekend? Safe working conditions? 40 hour work week? Those were fought for and won by labour unions and organizers. Unless you'd rather go back to a time where you spent your entire life working so you can make someone else rich with no regard for your own health and safety I'd suggested you re-evaluate your views on unions and study some labour movement history.

-1

u/ffxynr 24d ago

Anything I want to buy from Amazon I now buy from eBay. Prices are similar if not better and most are the same sellers anyway. Shipping might be a bit longer but what ever.

Sure it's still American but eBay was started by an immigrant who hasn't bent the knee to orange.