OTTAWA – The Green Party of Canada is urging the federal government to reconsider its decision to work with Amazon Canada instead of Canada Post to deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) to the country’s frontline health-care workers.
Amazon has a problematic history in regard to workers’ rights and continues to resist its workers’ attempts to unionize.
“Just last month an Amazon employee in New York was fired for organizing a protest over the lack of protective equipment for workers during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Green caucus labour and employment critic Paul Manly (MP, Nanaimo-Ladysmith). “How can we be sure that Canadian workers will be properly protected during this contract? It would have been more fitting for Canada Post to get this contract.”
This week the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said it is concerned that the distribution deal may be rewarding Amazon Canada for creating stressful, precarious jobs by ignoring workers’ demands for health and safety. CUPW pointed out that the decision to work with Amazon was made without consulting postal workers.
“The health and safety of Canadian workers must be protected at all times,” said Green Party Interim Leader Jo-Ann Roberts, “but especially during this global public health crisis. We fully support the demands outlined by CUPW and expect the government to put measures in place to ensure the safety of these essential workers.”
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