Amazon has been my go-to for everything from late-night book splurges to finding that weird kitchen gadget I didn’t know I needed. It’s hard to imagine life without that smiley arrow. But this week, the news of Amazon closing its Quebec warehouses hit like a bad breakup.
The hashtags #BoycottAmazon and #Solidarity were everywhere, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart ache for the workers left behind. Imagine going to bed thinking about your shift tomorrow, only to wake up and hear, “We’re shutting down. Sorry, not sorry.”
Amazon says it’s about “optimization” (corporate speak for “it’s not you, it’s us”), but let’s be real. The buzz is that they packed up because they didn’t want to deal with workers unionizing. People were standing up for fair wages, better conditions, and a voice in the workplace and instead of listening, Amazon slammed the door on them.
Can we take a second to appreciate how brave those workers were? Speaking up in a world that often prioritizes profits over people takes guts. And yet, here they are, picking up the pieces while we debate how we feel about one-click shopping.
Reading the tweets under #BoycottAmazon was like a crash course in mixed emotions. Some were all about ditching the retail giant and supporting small businesses. Others were venting frustration over corporations’ lack of humanity. Me? I couldn’t help but wonder: How did we get here?
I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of hitting that “Buy Now” button without a second thought. But this news has me rethinking my habits. What if we all made a tiny change? Maybe one less Amazon box on our doorstep and one more trip to a local store or a Canadian artisan’s online shop? It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being mindful.
To the workers in Quebec, I want to say this: You’re heroes in my eyes. You stood up for what’s right, and while this chapter feels unfair, your courage won’t go unnoticed. You matter to your families, your communities, and even to random people like me who are rooting for you from behind a keyboard.
Let’s make this moment count. Let’s shop thoughtfully, talk about labor rights, and stand in solidarity with those who dare to demand better. One small action can snowball into something amazing.