NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — Unifor says it's planning a union drive for Amazon workers in Metro Vancouver.

The union announced the drive in a press release Wednesday after an in-person event near an Amazon fulfillment centre in New Westminster that included an appearance by Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Labor Union in the U.S.

In the press release, national president Lana Payne says joining a union would help Amazon workers push their employer to improve working conditions.

Payne says Amazon workers took risks during the COVID-19 pandemic so that millions of people could stay home and get their essentials delivered.

Unifor's regional director for the west Gavin McGarrigle says in the press release that the Amazon Labor Union has shown what's possible at the e-commerce giant.

McGarrigle says it's time to turn things around for workers in the warehouse industry.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023.

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