Despite Amazon's decision to close its warehouses in Québec and outsource their operations, a labour arbitrator is being asked to decide on a first collective agreement for the 287 unionized employees at Amazon's DXT4 warehouse in Laval.

The Ministry of Labour referred the negotiations to first-agreement arbitration on Friday, after the conciliator reported that the parties were deadlocked. The conciliator's report followed an application by the union to avail itself of the arbitration process provided by the Labour Code when negotiating a first collective agreement.

"Whether Amazon likes it or not, there will be a collective agreement for Laval warehouse employees," said CSN president Caroline Senneville. "If Amazon thought it could just shutter its warehouses and have the work done by subcontractors rather than have to abide by a collective agreement, it is sadly mistaken."

In addition to imposing a full collective agreement, the arbitrator appointed to the case will be called upon to decide on the wage increases to be paid to the laid-off employees for all hours worked since bargaining began. The arbitrator will also have to rule on the right of the terminated employees to be called back to work, a clause in the collective agreement that will be particularly significant if the Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT) orders the reopening of the warehouses.

In a separate legal action filed on Thursday on behalf of numerous plaintiffs, the CSN asked the ALT to order Amazon to cease obstructing the union, resume operations at the seven warehouses covered by the complaint and pay each employee more than a year's wages in compensation, in addition to moral and punitive damages.
For more information on the Boycott Amazon campaign, visit www.csn.qc.ca/amazon-en.

Background

On April 19, 2024, the CSN filed an application with the ALT to represent the 230 employees at Amazon's DXT4 warehouse on Ernest-Cormier St. in Laval. In the preceding weeks, many workers had signed union cards. On May 10, the ALT officially certified the union, recognizing that a majority of employees had joined.

Bargaining for a first collective agreement began in July 2024. On January 22, 2025, Amazon announced it is closing its seven warehouses in Québec and outsourcing its operations. 

The ALT has found Amazon guilty of anti-union interference and obstruction at the YUL2 warehouse in Lachine and is currently hearing a similar case concerning Amazon's actions at the DXT4 warehouse in Laval.