Unions in the US and Canada decry Trump tariffs on Canadian steel

Why does that matter? The United Steelworkers (USW) union has more than 850,000 members in North America, with 225,000 in Canada.

What the USW is saying

USW International President David McCall said the union welcomes Trump’s efforts to tackle global overcapacity. And he singled out China for flooding the global market with cheap steel. But “Canada is not the problem,” McCall said.

“While our union absolutely views tariffs as one of many important tools we need to employ to rebalance our trade relationships, we urge a measured approach that both strengthens our manufacturing sector and accounts for our relationships with our allies, like Canada, who play by the rules,” McCall said.

Marty Warren, USW national director for Canada, appeared to allude to when Trump first imposed Section 232 tariffs on Canada in 2018. (Trump then lifted the tariff from Canada in 2019.) That experience proved that “reckless trade measures” harm workers, destabilize industry, and cause uncertainty for players on both sides of the border, he said.

Warren called on the Canadian government “to act quickly and forcefully with immediate counter-tariffs, enhanced worker and industry support, and a firm commitment to use Canadian steel and aluminum in public infrastructure projects.”

It’s not just the USW that’s angry

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said the tariffs will be “a gut punch to workers on both sides of the border.”

“Many of our members in aerospace and defense depend on parts and materials flowing freely between the US and Canada. These tariffs will throw a wrench into the whole system, putting thousands of IAM Union and other jobs at risk,” IAM International President Brian Bryant said.

“Our union doesn’t oppose tariffs, but we are advocates for strategic tariffs that protect domestic manufacturing and enhance national security,” Bryant added.

IAM has nearly 600,000 members, mainly in the US and Canada.

Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor, represents workers across all sectors of the Canadian economy, including in metals and mining. It slammed Trump’s demands and the ensuing chaos.

“This new tariff cash grab is designed to weaken our economy and is proof positive that the US is an unreliable trade partner that breaks trade agreements and can no longer be counted on to honour its promises,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said.

“It’s clear his plan is to use economic warfare to weaken our economy. It’s time to push back hard,” Payne added. “Canada must respond in full force to the tariffs on steel and aluminum to prevent the US from coming after more jobs and industries.”

What about Mexico?

While the unions are against tariffs on the United States’ neighbor to the north, they feel differently about its southern neighbor.

McCall said there had been a surge of US imports from Mexico. “We must distinguish between trusted trade partners, like Canada, and those who are seeking to undercut our industries as they work to dominate the global market,” he said.

IAM called Mexico and China the “real threats.”