The United Steelworkers union (USW) is strongly opposing U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, calling the measure unjustified and a direct threat to Canadian jobs, supply chains, and decades of economic cooperation.
“Trump’s tariffs are a direct attack on workers and communities,” said Marty Warren, USW national director for Canada, in a Feb. 10 statement.
“We’ve been through this before and we know these kinds of reckless trade measures don’t work, and hurt workers, destabilize industries and create uncertainty across the economy on both sides of the border.”
Locally, there are hundreds of members from USW Local 480 and USW Local 9705 employed at Teck Trail Operations.
The deep integration of the Canada-U.S. economy means these tariffs could have widespread consequences.
Steel trade between the two nations amounts to $20 billion annually, with Canada importing 39 per cent of its steel from the U.S. and exporting 94 per cent of its production south of the border.
American manufacturers also rely heavily on Canadian steel to maintain their operations.
In 2024, Canada exported $15.9 billion worth of aluminum to the U.S., making it the largest supplier to American industries, while also importing $4.1 billion, supporting thousands of cross-border jobs.
Despite securing a temporary reprieve last week, Canada has not yet received an exemption from Trump’s tariffs.
Warren is urging the federal government to act swiftly with counter-tariffs, increased support for workers and industries, and a stronger commitment to using Canadian steel and aluminum in public infrastructure projects.
He also warned that without safeguards, Canada could face an influx of cheap steel and aluminum from countries shut out of the U.S. market, further endangering domestic industries.
“If these tariffs move forward, the government must be ready to hit back just as hard and be ready to face the consequences of this new chapter in the crisis on jobs,” Warren said. “For years, we’ve pushed for domestic procurement policies to ensure taxpayer dollars support Canadian jobs and industries. It’s a shame that this still hasn’t happened, but the government can’t afford to ignore it any longer.”
USW International President Dave McCall echoed Warren’s concerns, drawing parallels to similar trade tensions in 2018.
“Canada is not the problem, and these tariffs will only hurt workers on both sides of the border,” he said. “Instead of reckless trade wars, we need policies that strengthen manufacturing and protect good jobs in both countries.”
The USW has vowed to continue pressuring all levels of government to take decisive action in defending Canadian workers and preventing the tariffs from undermining the future of the country’s steel and aluminum industries.
The USW represents 225,000 members across nearly every economic sector in Canada and is the largest private-sector union in North America, with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean.
