A union representing about 800 Amazon workers in Delta says they are now covered by a first binding three-year collective agreement imposed by independent arbitration.
The Story
Unifor says it represents about 800 Amazon workers in Delta, B.C., and that the workers are now covered by the first binding collective agreement for the company’s retail workers in North America.
Both Unifor and Amazon say the deal’s terms were imposed by an independent arbitrator on Friday.
Unifor says it is a three-year agreement and hails it, while Amazon says the process was improper and that workers were not given a chance to vote.
In an online posting, Amazon vice-president J. Ofori Agboka said the process was "improper, unfair and defies common sense," and that the company would take its concerns to court if necessary.
Unifor says the agreement includes wage increases that bring hourly rates to $29 by the end of the three-year term, enhanced severance protections, and an additional week of vacation for workers with 10 years of service.
Unifor also pointed to a British Columbia Labour Relations Board decision in August that allowed binding arbitration to settle the labour dispute despite Amazon opposing the use of that approach.
Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement that Amazon "tried to convince workers that they were too big to organize and used their power and money to deter workers while making billions in profits," and added, "They have fought every decision and tried to rewrite reality at every step but they have failed."
Agboka said union dues meant the workers "could actually take home less money than they did before" and said workers were "not allowed to vote on whether to accept it," which he called a pattern tied to the British Columbia Labour Relations Board.
He also said Amazon believes in workplaces where associates have direct input and where "nobody should have to pay dues or go through a third party to be heard."
← More stories