By Harinder Mahil

Workers at Amazon warehouse in Delta, BC, a high percentage of whom are from immigrant communities, have officially been certified by the BC Labour Relations Board.

The certification was issued by the Board after it found that the company had engaged in unfair labour practices to thwart the unionization process.

The Labour Board concluded that Amazon’s interference in the union drive was egregious enough to undermine the process and agreed with Unifor that certification of the union was the only reasonable remedy.

The union, Unifor Local 114, had applied to certify the facility for unionization last year, but the results of that vote were sealed due to an unfair labour practices complaint the union filed, alleging Amazon ramped up hiring to try to dilute union support.

The certification is a big win for workers as well as the Union against a difficult employer who does not wish to negotiate a collective agreement with any union.

Amazon workers in Delta can now begin the arduous process of negotiating their first collective agreement.

Warehouse workers are better off with a union,” said Unifor Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. “Unifor will continue to provide support to workers at Amazon facilities across the country to improve working conditions and win fair pay.”

Amazon has indicated that it plans to appeal the union’s certification.

The Board’s decision describes many ways Amazon tried to persuade employees away from unionization. These included meeting with employees one-on-one and asking them questions about their experiences at the workplace and "educating them on Amazon's policies and procedures." 

The decision reads, "Employees were subjected to 'pulsing' by managers from various sites and a constant barrage of materials and carefully constructed anti-union messaging by Amazon…the messaging made the Union look like a bad thing.”

 The certification makes the Delta warehouse the third Amazon facility in North America to unionize following one in Staten Island, N.Y., in 2022 and another in Laval, Que., in 2024. Workers at Staten Island still do not have a collective agreement despite trying to negotiate one for the last three years.

The Laval warehouse, which employed about 230 workers, was the first Amazon site in Canada to unionize. The company shut down the facility rather than negotiate a collective agreement.

According to labour relations experts the Union is likely to face stiff resistance from Amazon in negotiating a collective agreement.

McGarrigle acknowledged Amazon's history of resisting unions, but said B.C. has stronger labour protections.

Amazon is the World’s largest online retailer. It has a global presence with operations in multiple counties. Its market capitalization is substantial, reaching $2,33 trillion in 2025.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. It advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

I congratulate Amazon workers for taking this major step to organize to improve their working conditions and wish them well in negotiating a collective agreement.

Harinder Mahil is a human rights activist and is secretary of Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation.