Encampments, Amazon, PSPP, oh my! w/ Niall Clapham Ricardo — Metropolis

On this episode of Metropolis, CUTV’s monthly live political talk show, host Kalden Dhatsenpa sits down with Niall Clapham Ricardo. Together, they outline the most recent developments with the certification of the union application of the Amazon facility in Laval, the trends of the provincial parties, and the current climate around the Gaza Solidarity encampments across Montreal.

Clapham speaks about his connection and knowledge about the McGill encampment, as a member of the Independent Jewish Voices Canada organization. IJV, along with Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and the Montreal chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement, is one of the main organizers of the encampment. 

Since the encampment had been raised 25 days prior, the McGill administration has sought injunctions to have the encampment dismantled and the protesting halted. The administration also attempted to involve police to get students off the property, emphasizing that it is private. None of the injunctions went through.

Dhatsenpa and Clapham go on to talk about Amazon. 

Despite Amazon promoting itself as a workplace with the branding and culture of a family, many workers have spoken out on the pressure felt due to the culture and prioritizing efficiency over safety. Workers have shared that there is an issue of over-surveillance and safety concerns due to the strain and tension associated with the execution of their work tasks.

Discussing the topic, Dhatsenpa summarizes a recent 2022 article by Business Insider, in which it stated that “Amazon warehouse workers suffer muscle and joint injuries at a rate 4 times higher than industry peers.”

Due to this treatment, the risks and the working conditions, Amazon workers at the Laval facility are unionizing, which is a smaller part of a larger movement across the globe. Staten Island was one of the first places which saw workers successfully unionize for better working conditions. 

In Canada, the events at the Laval facility are a first breakthrough. Hundreds of Amazon workers will be represented by the CSN union in Quebec.

Politics in Quebec have also been shifting. In a recent poll done by Léger, 36% of Quebecers stated that they are for the sovereignty of Quebec. 

In another survey done by the same enterprise and Quebecor, the Parti Québécois showed itself to be on the rise. Quebecers shared their voting intentions for the provincial elections. 

The Parti Québécois is in the lead at 32% with Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. They are followed by Coalition Avenir Québec with François Legault, at 22%, and in third place, the Parti libéral du Québec, currently led by Marc Tanguay, placed itself at 17%.