A union that represents some Montreal Amazon workers said it will petition a court to compel the company to reopen the warehouses and reverse the job cuts.

Amazon.com Inc.’s decision to close all seven of its warehouses in the Canadian province of Quebec and terminate more than 1,900 workers is prompting legal action from the affected union.

The online retail giant said the move was not linked to recent unionization efforts by workers in the Canadian province.

Amazon is facing growing backlash in Quebec following its January 2025 decision to shutter all seven of its warehouses in the province. The closures, set to unfold over the next two months, will eliminate approximately 4,500 jobs, including full-time positions and subcontractors.

In addition to the roughly 2,000 employees laid off by Amazon after the company announced it would be closing its Quebec warehouses, more than 2,500 other people employed by smaller carriers subcontracted by the company have also lost their jobs.

Unions had gained a foothold in one of the company’s warehouses in the province, though Amazon would not say if there was a connection.

A protest against the mass layoffs of thousands of people is underway at the Amazon warehouse in Laval Wednesday morning. Protesters are showing their support for the more than 4,600 Quebecers who will be out of work after Amazon announced it was closing seven warehouses in the province.

Amazon has announced plans to close all of its Quebec facilities, laying off 1,700 permanent employees, months after workers in Laval, Que., made history by unionizing. Experts say the move could prompt legal challenges under Quebec labour laws.

Amazon may be closing its warehouses in Quebec to send a warning to unions, but it still has to get packages to customers. For a company that thrives on controlling warehouses, this retreat may be more costly than it seems.

After Amazon announced it would shutter its Quebec warehouses, costing 1,700 workers their jobs, a Canadian union said it would strike back.