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Analysis

Labour Unions Call On Canada to ‘Hit Back Hard’ After Donald Trump Launches Unprovoked Trade War Against Canada

Labour leaders say Trump’s “reckless” and “devastating” tariffs will only hurt workers in both Canada and the United States

Canadian labour unions are calling on federal and provincial governments to “hit back hard” after US President Donald Trump launched an unprovoked trade war by imposing a 25% tax on all goods imported from Canada.

On Saturday, Trump signed an Executive Order without congressional approval that imposes 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico. The tariffs are a tax imposed on goods coming in from another country which will be paid by the American companies and American individuals who import them.

While Canadians do not directly pay the costs of tariffs, the indirect impacts are expected to lead to significant job losses and price increases on both sides of the Canada-US border as international trade and supply chains are disrupted.

Already, Trump’s trade war is predicted to lead to the  the complete shut down of auto production across North America within the next week. US oil industry groups also warn tariffs on Canadian crude oil will cause gas prices to go up and lead to a potential “shut down” of American refineries.

Meanwhile, everyday costs of living, like groceries, gas and housing — already at unsustainable levels due to inflation — are predicted to jump rapidly and reach new highs for both Canadian and American families.

Canadian labour unions, representing unprecedented numbers of workers who may suddenly find their jobs unexpectedly impacted in the coming weeks, are united in calling on federal and provincial governments to hold the line and retaliate rather than make the mistake of seeking to appease belligerent behaviour.

Here’s how Canada’s biggest labour unions are responding to Trump’s trade war against Canada:

 

Canadian Labour Congress:

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national organization representing three million unionized workers in Canada, says Trump’s tariffs are “reckless” and called on Canada to turn off the taps.

In a statement, CLC President Bea Bruske, called for retaliatory actions including “matching tariffs dollar-for-dollar” and “cutting off US access to critical Canadian resources — including electricity, lumber, critical minerals, oil and gas — until the tariffs are lifted”:

“Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs are an attack on Canadian workers and our economy. With 2.4 million jobs tied directly or indirectly to trade with the U.S., these tariffs put industries, families, and entire communities at risk. But Canada’s unions know how to respond, and have solutions.

Canada must take decisive action to protect workers and push back against these harmful policies. The United States must feel immediate pain for their actions aimed at harming the Canadian economy and its workers.”

The CLC notes its polling shows a strong majority of Canadians reject any policy of appeasement towards Trump, with 77% of Canadians in support of retaliatory tariffs and  75% in support of cutting off US access to Canadian resources.

The CLC is also calling on federal and provincial governments to provide financial support to Canadian workers impacted by Trump’s trade war and a longer-term strategy to diversify Canadian trade and end Canada’s dependency on the US.

Cut off U.S. access to what they take for granted: No electricity, no critical minerals, no oil & gas. Canada’s workers are united—no more unfair treatment.
canadianlabour.ca/cut-off-u-s-…

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— Bea Bruske (@clcpresident.bsky.social) Feb 1, 2025 at 10:14 p.m.

 

Unifor:

Representing 320,000 unionized private sector workers in Canada and over 22,000 Canadian autoworkers, Unifor is calling on Canada to “hit back hard” against Trump.

In a statement, Unifor President Lana Payne, a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, said Canada needs to “retaliate swiftly and definitively” to protect Canadian jobs:

“With the implementation of these tariffs, President Trump has declared a trade war with Canada and with Canadian workers … Trump’s decision to go to battle with America’s largest trading partner will hurt working people on both sides of the border and inflict real economic damage to both countries.”

“I believe Trump has underestimated Canadians. He has failed to realize that he has enraged and united an entire nation that is ready to fight to defend every last job in this country … We will never forget this act of hostility against our workers, and we must take every measure possible – utilize every ounce of creativity we have – to build a strong, resilient, and diverse economy to never be held hostage by America again.”

Unifor has also prepared a list of recommendations to protect Canadian workers and the economy that include income supports for workers who lose their jobs as a result of Trump’s actions, emergency relief to mitigate the risk of layoffs due to workplace closures and take steps to limit public money being spent contracting work from US-based companies when it could go to Canadians instead.

“With the implementation of these tariffs, President Trump has declared a trade war with Canada and with Canadian workers,” says @lanapayne.bsky.social. Read Unifor’s release www.unifor.org/news/all-new…

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— Unifor (@unifor.org) February 1, 2025 at 2:53 PM

 

United Steelworkers Canada:

The United Steelworkers, an international union that represents 225,000 workers in Canada, calls Trump’s actions a “direct attack on workers” on “both sides of the border.”

Marty Warren, the National Director of USW Canada, issued a statement:

“Today, Donald Trump has once again proven that he is no friend to working people—on either side of the border. The imposition of a 25% across-the-board tariff on Canadian is a direct attack on workers, our industries and our communities.

Let’s be clear: these tariffs are reckless, unfounded, and harmful to both Canadian and American workers. This is not about fair trade; it’s about political posturing at the expense of good-paying jobs.

Without decisive action and a quick resolution, the consequences could be devastating. More than 2.4 million Canadian jobs depend directly and indirectly on trade with the United States. In 2024, some 1.8 million people worked in sectors where at least 35% of jobs depended on U.S. demand for Canadian exports. This decision threatens hundreds of thousands of these jobs as a result.

Every day, $3.6 billion in goods cross the Canada-U.S. border, amounting to $1.3 trillion annually. This trade partnership supports 1.4 million American jobs and 2.3 million Canadian jobs. These tariffs don’t just hurt Canada – they threaten the stability of industries on both sides of the border.”

USW Canada is also calling on the Canadian government to take “immediate and vigorous retaliatory action” and to provide “emergency income support (and) improved access to Employment Insurance to help families cope with the economic fallout.”

USW International President David McCall, who is based in the United States, is also condemning the tariffs, noting  Trump’s approach violates trade laws, undermines relationships with allies and does nothing to fix America’s “broken trade system”:

“The USW has long called for systemic reform of our broken trade system, but lashing out at key allies like Canada is not the way forward.

Canada has proven itself time and again to be one of our strongest partners when it comes to national security, and our economies are deeply integrated.

The key to eliminating unfair competition, confronting global overcapacity in crucial sectors, and stemming the flow of unfairly traded products making their way into North America is targeted tariffs on countries that violate our trade laws and greater coordination with our trusted allies – not sweeping actions that undermine crucial relationships.”

Canadian workers will not be intimidated or sacrificed. We stand united with our American union counterparts in demanding fairness and respect for workers in the industries that sustain our communities and economies.

More: usw.ca/united-steel…

#canlab #CanPoli #tariffs

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— United Steelworkers (@uswmetallos.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 1:48 PM

 

United Food and Commercial Workers Canada:

UFCW Canda, which represents 40,000 workers in manufacturing, agriculture and food retail, is also concerned about impacts on jobs devoted to bringing food to Canadians’ tables.

UFCW Canada is emphasizing Canadian consumers should buy Canadian products to support workers and their communities:

“There are no winners in a trade war: while we need to respond to the U.S. threats with government actions to protect good union jobs in Canada, it is also essential for the government to recognize that tariffs on American products will mean high prices for everyday necessities. This will make life even harder for Canadian working families who are already stretched thin. Any solution needs to protect Canadian jobs while also ensuring that the affordability crisis does not become even worse.

We are also concerned for our thousands of UFCW members in supply-managed sectors like poultry and dairy, who face growing threats from these trade disruptions. These are vital sectors with jobs in communities that rely on them to thrive, often in rural communities where they are the largest employers.

For consumers, one of the most impactful ways to support Canada right now is by choosing products made by Canadian workers – including those produced by your UFCW Canada neighbours. UFCW represents hundreds of thousands of workers across Canada’s food retail, manufacturing, processing, and agricultural sectors, who are dedicated to feeding the nation.

In the face of an escalating trade conflict between the United States and Canada, our union’s top priority is to safeguard UFCW Canada members—particularly the 40,000 UFCW Canada members in manufacturing and food production—and all Canadian workers. (1/11)

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— UFCW Canada (@ufcwcanada.bsky.social) January 24, 2025 at 3:14 PM

 

BC Federation of Labour

The BC Federation of Labour, which represents half a million workers in over 50 unions, also says there is no point in appeasing Trump.

“Those who echo Donald Trump’s rhetoric and advocate appeasement are making a grave mistake. Giving in to his demands will just mean he makes up new ones,” the BC Federation of Labour said in a statement, calling on all governments to “protect workers”:

“The provincial government estimates that 124,000 workers will lose their jobs over the next four years if the tariffs remain in place, with BC’s unemployment rate rising to 6.7 percent this year and 7.1 percent next year. If left unaddressed, this would be catastrophic to workers and communities across our province …

Our message is clear: The number one priority of all governments must now be to protect workers and defend their jobs. Workers are the backbone of our economy, and our province only prospers if working people prosper.

Whatever supports and initiatives emerge to help business weather this storm must be tied to preserving workers’ jobs. Defending jobs must be both the goal of these supports and the key measure of their success.”

Donald Trump has announced his long-threatened tariffs — an unfair attack on all of us.

British Columbia workers are united. And we stand with our provincial government, businesses, communities and unions across Canada in opposing this move. 🧵

#BCFed #BCLab

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— BC Federation of Labour (@bcfed.bsky.social) February 1, 2025 at 7:56 PM

 

La Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec

Magali Picard, President of the FTQ, Québec’s largest federation of labour unions, recently agreed there is no other option than to retaliate because Trump is not a rational actor: “You have to hurt him; he wants to hurt us.”

« Je ne pense pas qu’essayer de négocier avec une personne qui n’est pas saine d’esprit va nous mener quelque part »

Picard also warned the threat of Pierre Poilievre forming government is of serious concern given the need to support workers if Trump’s trade war drags out.

 

Confédération des syndicats nationaux

In a public statement, Québec’s second largest federation of labour unions also said it “strongly condemns” Trump’s tariffs and said governments need to protect workers from Trump’s trade war while preventing businesses from exploiting the situation for their own benefit:

« La CSN condamne fermement la décision du président Trump d’imposer des tarifs de 25 % sur l’importation de produits canadiens aux États-Unis. Face à cette nouvelle réalité, nos gouvernements devront mettre tout en place afin de minimiser l’impact sur les travailleuses et les travailleurs d’ici. Il faudra que tout soutien aux entreprises serve aussi à protéger les emplois et non à servir les seuls intérêts des dirigeants et des actionnaires »

 

Federal public sector unions:

In a joint statement, three federal public sector unions (the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the Association of Canadian Financial Officers and the Canadian Association of Professional Employees), said while Trump’s trade war will create chaos for the Canadian economy, the public sector can play a key role in bringing stability for Canadian families and businesses:

“As the US government moves forward with harmful tariffs on Canadian goods, we at ACFO, CAPE and PIPSC stand united in condemning these measures and their devastating impact on Canadian jobs, families, and businesses. These tariffs threaten economic stability and labour. We will not stand by as working people bear the burden …

We stand in solidarity with trade unions and all workers affected by these tariffs. Our members, dedicated public service professionals, are always ready to assist Canadians, support affected industries and communities, and deliver any relief measures the federal government enacts.

ACFO, CAPE and PIPSC members, and all federal public sector workers, have a long history of stepping up in times of crisis—whether during the COVID-19 pandemic or other national challenges. This moment is no different. Our members will continue to deliver the critical programs and services Canadians rely on, ensuring that no one is left behind.”

 

Ontario Federation of Labour

Ontario, which is in the middle of a snap election called by Doug Ford, is the province likely to suffer the biggest damage from Trump’s tariffs.

Last week, the Ontario Federation of Labour joined 30 private, public and trades sector unions to criticize Ford for shutting down the provincial legislature and calling an election midway through his term on the eve of Trump’s trade war:

“Doug Ford’s decision to shut down the legislature—destabilizing the province in favour of heading to the polls for his own political gain—is opportunistic, reckless, and irresponsible,” said Laura Walton, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL). “It’s not Doug Ford who will pay the price for these tariffs; it’s Ontario workers, their families, and the communities they call home. British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba have all established tariff tables to address the threat to jobs and communities. It’s time Ontario followed suit.”

 

Alberta Federation of Labour

Despite the devastating impact Trump’s trade war will have on Alberta, its Premier, Danielle Smith, has faced intense criticism for visiting Trump at Mar-a-Lago and undermining efforts at a united “Team Canada” response.

Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan accuses Smith of working behind-the-scenes to undermine Canada’s national interests:

“Smith helped create this situation by breaking ranks with Team Canada and undermining our collective bargaining power … By jumping in bed with the MAGA crowd and literally saying that we should ‘give Trump a win’, she allowed Trump to play divide-and-conquer with us. Instead of fighting with the rest of Canada, Smith should focus on the real threat: and that’s Trump.”

While Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Canadian oil rather than 25%, McGowan says Smith has no business taking a victory lap since it actually shows the United States is dependent on Canadian oil to keep its refineries running:

“Predictably, Premier Smith is taking credit for the lower tariff on energy. Albertans shouldn’t buy this narrative. The real reason the US started with a lower tariff on energy is because they really need our oil, especially for refineries in the Midwest. That’s called leverage.”

 

Canadian Union of Public Employees

CUPE, Canada’s biggest union with 750,000 members primarily in the public sector, is also calling out Alberta’s Premier and one of her celebrity millionaire friends.

In a recent statement, CUPE National President Mark Hancock bluntly accuses Danielle Smith and Kevin O’Leary of being “traitors” to Canada:

“Danielle Smith and Kevin O’Leary are traitors to Canada in the simplest sense of the word. They’re happy to sell out Albertan workers and Canadian workers as long as it means keeping the bonus cheques rolling for their CEO friends.

This isn’t the first time Danielle Smith has turned coat and crossed the floor, but as we saw in 2014, Danielle Smith isn’t exactly an expert at picking the winning side.

Meanwhile, Pierre Poilievre has been quiet as a church mouse when it comes to Mr. Trump’s attacks on Canada and Canadian workers. Does Mr. Poilievre serve Canadians, or is he just another servant for the billionaires and big oil like Smith and O’Leary?

All of their actions run against what it means to be Canadian. We know that resisting Donald Trump’s attacks on Canada will not be easy, but as Canadians, we value hard work and we value solidarity – not selling each other out when times get tough. We value protecting our natural resources like our water. We value our public services and our public health care system that set us apart from ever becoming a 51st state. In times like this, we need leaders willing to stand together – but we certainly don’t need snakes and traitors like Danielle Smith and Kevin O’Leary.”

“Danielle Smith and Kevin O’Leary are traitors to Canada in the simplest sense of the word. All of their actions run against what it means to be Canadian.”

cupe.ca/cupe-calls-o…

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— markhancock.bsky.social (@markhancock.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 5:50 PM

Smith and O’Leary both recently made appearances in Palm Beach, Florida at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property where O’Leary said he also participated in “off-the-record” talks about the United States annexing Canada.

Arlene Dickinson, one of O’Leary’s former Dragon’s Den co-stars, later accused O’Leary of undermining Canadian interests with a foreign power: “Kevin O’Leary isn’t authorized to speak on behalf of Canadians,” Dickinson said. “He’s negotiating against us.”

Source: Danielle Smith (Instagram)

 

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Luke LeBrun
Editor
Luke LeBrun is the Editor of PressProgress. His reporting focuses on the federal political scene, right-wing politics as well as issues in technology, media and culture.

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