# Exclusive-Teamsters organizing workers’ unions at 9 Amazon.com facilities in Canada Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-09-17 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Teamsters union organizes Amazon workers in Canada Meta Description: The Teamsters workers' union is making efforts to unionize Amazon facilities in Canada, aiming to improve workers' conditions and benefits. URL: https://financedigest.com/exclusive-teamsters-organizing-workers-unions-at-9-amazon-com-facilities-in-canadahtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-09-17t111509z3lynxmpeh8g0f1rtroptp4amazon-canada-union-1736837841452-compressed.jpg) By Julia Love and Moira Warburton (Reuters) – The Teamsters workers’ union has launched campaigns to organize employees in at least nine Canadian facilities of U.S. e-commerce company Amazon.com, [according to Reuters interviews with union](https://www.financedigest.com/ita-airways-averts-strike-after-wage-increase-accord-with-unions.html "ITA Airways averts strike after wage increase accord with unions") officials. The influential union took the first step earlier this week to organize employees at one of Amazon’s Canadian facilities, and the interviews reveal it is widening such efforts across the country, where the e-commerce company employs about 25,000 [workers and plans](https://www.financedigest.com/british-port-workers-plan-two-week-strike-from-sept-19.html "British port workers plan two-week strike from Sept. 19") to add 15,000 more. The campaigns could be seen as a bet by the Teamsters that early success unionizing employees in a more labor-friendly market such as Canada will inspire similar results south of the border, where [Amazon has so far fended off unionization](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-will-not-cut-jobs-in-italy-unions-say-after-meeting.html "Amazon will not cut jobs in Italy, unions say after meeting") attempts. In the latest [challenge to Amazon’s](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-netflixbanking-would-a-subscription-based-model-fend-off-challenger-banks.html "Amazon, Netflix…banking. Would a subscription-based model fend off challenger banks?") anti-unionization stance, Edmonton, Alberta’s Teamsters Local Union 362 filed for a vote on union representation at a company fulfillment center in nearby Nisku late on Monday. Interviews with Teamsters units in other cities and provinces show that the union’s efforts stretch from the Pacific coastal province of British Columbia to the Canadian economic heartland in southern Ontario. The Teamsters’ Edmonton [unit says](https://www.financedigest.com/offshore-crews-to-strike-on-bps-north-sea-installations-says-unite.html "Offshore crews to strike on BP’s North Sea installations, says Unite") it has enough signed cards calling for a union to meet the 40% threshold to require a vote. Two of the union’s units in Ontario and one in Alberta have confirmed they are signing membership cards with [Amazon workers](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-loses-bid-to-throw-out-case-by-uk-drivers-seeking-worker-rights.html "Amazon loses bid to throw out case by UK drivers seeking worker rights"). And two of the five units that confirmed to Reuters that they are [organizing said they are running](https://www.financedigest.com/organic-expansion-to-run-through-the-iv-equipment-market.html "Organic Expansion To Run Through The IV Equipment Market") campaigns at multiple sites, bringing the total Amazon facilities involved in some level of organizing to at least nine. “Any locals that have an Amazon facility in their area are doing an organizing campaign,” Jim Killey, an organizer with Teamsters Local 879 near Hamilton, Ontario, told Reuters. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier in the week [Amazon Canada](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-to-lay-off-staff-in-u-s-canada-and-costa-rica-by-end-of-day.html "Amazon to lay off staff in U.S., Canada and Costa Rica by end of day") spokesperson Dave Bauer said in an emailed statement: “As a company, we don’t think unions are the best answer for our employees. Unions would prevent the company from [changing quickly](https://www.financedigest.com/seeking-right-tone-new-uk-pm-truss-had-to-quickly-change-gear-for-queen.html "Seeking right tone, new UK PM Truss had to quickly change gear for queen") to meet employees’ needs and represent “the voices of a select few,” he added. The Teamsters say they can help the [workers win better wages](https://www.financedigest.com/apples-australian-workers-go-on-christmas-strike-demanding-better-wages-work-terms.html "Apple’s Australian workers go on Christmas strike demanding better wages, work terms") and benefits, such as leaves of absence. SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS Unionization votes in Canada do not have any direct bearing on the United States, but they could raise enthusiasm, said John Logan, a labor professor at [San Francisco](https://www.financedigest.com/paul-jasper-joins-rimon-laws-san-francisco-office-as-partner.html "Paul Jasper joins Rimon Law’s San Francisco Office as Partner") State University. Organizing at a place like [Amazon requires workers](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-faces-shareholder-vote-on-treatment-of-warehouse-workers.html "Amazon faces shareholder vote on treatment of warehouse workers") to take a certain amount of risk,” Logan said. If they can look to other places and [see that that risk](https://www.financedigest.com/heineken-sees-europe-resilience-offseting-asia-slowdown-risk.html "Heineken sees Europe resilience offseting Asia slowdown risk") has paid off for other workers, then they are far more inclined to do it themselves.” [Union members are going to great lengths to connect with Amazon workers](https://www.financedigest.com/volkswagens-mexico-factory-workers-reject-union-pay-deal.html "Volkswagen’s Mexico factory workers reject union pay deal"), sleeping in their cars to catch the employees after graveyard shifts and forging ties at local churches. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which has more than a [million members](https://www.financedigest.com/millions-of-uk-linkedin-members-eligible-for-the-opportunity-of-a-lifetime.html "Millions of UK LinkedIn members eligible for the opportunity of a lifetime") in the United States and Canada, has made organizing Amazon a top priority, describing it as an “existential threat. Amazon does not have any unionized facilities in North America. The Teamsters is one of a handful of unions trying to undertake the daunting task of organizing its vast, high-churn workforce. Earlier this year, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) lost a vote to organize workers in Bessemer, Alabama, by a more than two-to-one margin. Amazon pushed hard against unionization, and the result is being disputed. The Teamsters have indicated they will not seek to [hold such votes in the United](https://www.financedigest.com/orban-tightens-hold-over-telco-sector-as-vodafone-sells-hungarian-unit-2.html "Orban tightens hold over telco sector as Vodafone sells Hungarian unit") States any time soon, arguing the process is unfairly tilted toward employers. But in Canada, where labor laws are more favorable, the Teamsters [see an opportunity to go straight to the ballot box](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-retailers-see-40-jump-in-boxing-day-shoppers-springboard.html "UK retailers see 40% jump in Boxing Day shoppers -Springboard"). The Teamsters’ Killey said his chapter is campaigning at Amazon facilities in Milton, Cambridge and Kitchener, all traditionally working-class towns just west of Toronto, Canada’s most populous city. Where we see there is a lot of support, we’re going to go [full steam ahead,”](https://www.financedigest.com/go-full-steam-ahead-for-northern-line-tunnel-extension-at-the-residence.html "Go Full Steam Ahead For Northern Line Tunnel Extension At The Residence") said Christopher Monette, spokesperson for Teamsters Canada. Jason Sweet, president of Teamsters Local 419 in Ontario, said his unit has begun signing cards with workers in the greater Toronto area and has [formed WhatsApp groups with Amazon workers to keep them abreast of the union’s](https://www.financedigest.com/microsoft-videogame-testers-form-companys-first-u-s-union.html "Microsoft videogame testers form company’s first U.S. union") efforts, delivering updates every 48 hours or so. “We are trying to build relationships from the inside,” he said. In British Columbia, Teamsters Local 31 President Stan Hennessy said potential members have been receptive. “It’s our hope that we can help these workers,”he said. “They certainly can use some help.” (Reporting by Julia Love in [San Francisco](https://www.financedigest.com/morrison-foerster-adds-six-litigators-to-its-industry-leading-ip-litigation-group-in-san-francisco.html "Morrison &Foerster Adds Six Litigators To Its Industry-Leading Ip Litigation Group In San Francisco") and Moira Warburton in Vancouver; Editing by Peter Henderson and Muralikumar Anantharaman) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---