Laid off Amazon workers rally in Quebec, say some still waiting for severance pay

Despite Amazon closing its Quebec warehouses months ago, former employees still have demands for the company during the online retail giant’s annual Prime Days.

While consumers shop for the latest deals, the laid-off workers have a warning about working conditions at the company.

Former worker Assia Malinova says Prime Days are “a time when many workers get injured because of the additional pressure created by the extra volume of packages.”

She and her former colleagues rallied Tuesday to denounce their former employer for closing operations, leaving thousands without a job and facing longstanding financial challenges.

“Workers haven’t received the proper severance that is awarded to them under the law,” said Mostafa Henaway of the Immigrant Workers Centre.

Felix Trudeau says he’s missing severance pay.

“We’re missing four weeks of severance but I know of drivers who are missing 10 weeks of severance according to the law,” Trudeau said.

In a statement, Amazon says it “offered impacted employees in Quebec a package that included up to 14 weeks’ pay.”

A spokesperson goes on to add: “Amazon is working with services Quebec … to ensure that former employees have access to all the resources available to them.”

When Amazon closed its Quebec facilities and laid off thousands of workers, a boycott movement was started.

But has it lasted? Reactions were mixed when CTV News asked people on the street in Montreal.

Some say they avoid Amazon, while others say it’s just too difficult.

“I don’t shop online actually anymore,” one person said.

“If I don’t find it anywhere then I will go to Amazon, but it’s my last choice,” another one said.

Retail analyst Carl Boutet says the boycott movement has faded.

“I think things like geopolitical [issues] and tariffs have hurt them a lot more than consumer sentiment, as warranted as it is and as upset as we should be around the fact that they closed seven warehouses,” he said.

The former workers are calling for a meeting with Quebec. The provincial employment minister said he has not received any meeting requests, but that support has been put in place to help workers search for new employment.

“We invite the government to do the right thing. Come and talk to us about the issues we are still facing after the closures,” Malinova said.

Former workers say they are concerned because they were essentially replaced by subcontractors. So they say, despite closing up shop in Quebec, Amazon is still going strong.