Quebec labour movement launches boycott campaign against Amazon job cuts

Alliance ouvrière leads a boycott campaign against Amazon’s job cuts in Quebec, aiming to mobilize workers and public support.

Amazon is set to cut nearly 2,000 jobs in Quebec, but Benoit Dumais from Alliance ouvrière argues the impact goes far beyond those layoffs.

“For us, the fight needs to get even bigger and more political because it’s attacking all workers' rights,” says Dumais, spokesperson for the organization that unites Quebec’s labor movement.

Members of Alliance ouvrière gathered on Sunday for a special assembly focused on how they can support Amazon workers. A key item on the agenda: a boycott of the multinational.

“We want to endorse it today and mobilize all our members to support this campaign,” Dumais adds.

The campaign, “Here, We Boycott Amazon,” quickly gained traction after Amazon announced the closure of its Quebec warehouses.

The initiative is calling on Quebeckers to take a public stand against the company.

Louisa Worrell, spokesperson for the campaign, urges people to act in solidarity with workers.

“Do it openly and do it intentionally,” Worrell says. “We want everyone to take a public position — go to their places of work, their associations, and publicly support the boycott.”

She said the ultimate goal of the campaign is to force Amazon to reverse its decision.

However, Félix Trudeau, president of the Amazon Workers’ Union in Laval, is skeptical that will happen.

“We think it’s pretty much a set decision,” he said. “So, at this point, the question would be how do we fight for respect?”

Trudeau adds that one of the items on the union’s table is severance packages, including for drivers.

“There are more than 1,500 drivers in Montreal getting nothing for severance—absolutely nothing—because Amazon is using subcontractors to avoid classifying them as Amazon employees,” Trudeau explains.

In response to a request for comment, an Amazon spokesperson told CTV News: “We’re working with impacted Delivery Service Partners and providing assistance.”

While Amazon remains firm in its stance, some of its workers in Quebec are planning their next steps.