Amazon DXT4 employees in Laval observe a symbolic picket in front of their workplace on Wednesday to denounce the lack of progress in the negotiations which have dragged on for four months.
Employees of the multinational’s only unionized warehouse across Canada are in negotiations with the employer in the hope of concluding a first collective agreement, but are encountering the “intransigence” of the multinational.
“We want progress at the negotiating table, we want a first collective agreement, that’s why we are in the streets today,” said the president of the Amazon Laval-CSN Workers’ Union, Félix Trudeau.
“Until now, Amazon management has not wanted to commit to any agreement clause whatsoever, despite our numerous proposals,” underlined Mr. Trudeau, insisting that DXT4 employees are underpaid .
What’s more, 126 work accidents have occurred in the establishment since the start of 2024, which corresponds to half of the employees on average.
The union deplored that employees did not receive the annual raises of $1.5 per hour granted to staff at other Amazon warehouses in the Montreal region, accusing the employer of anti-union practices.
He is demanding a salary of $26 per hour upon hiring, while employees are currently at an hourly rate of $20 to $21.50, far from the average salary of unionized warehouse clerks at the CSN which is around the $28 per hour.
“The time for discretionary salary increases is over: Amazon must sit down at the negotiating table and negotiate seriously,” thundered the president of the Central Council of Metropolitan Montreal-CSN, Dominique Daigneault.
