The United Steelworkers union (USW) national director for Canada Marty Warren issued a blistering attack at the U.S. administration’s tariffs on Canadian goods, with much of his animosity directed personally against U.S. President Donald Trump.
Political observers have noticed how Trump has divided the American working class, both unionized and non-unionized. He has built a strong working class political following in the United States for his economically protectionist stances favouring heavily unionized manufacturing-based swing states.
The USW is one of Canada’s leading trade unions representing mine and smelter workers across the country. The union established a presence in Canada in 1942. Warren was elected the USW’s national director for Canada on March 1, 2022, and represents the union’s more than 225,000 Canadian members.
Warren said: “Canadian workers built this country. We're not going to let Trump tear it down.” Warren described the tariffs as a “political stunt at worker’s expense.”
“This is an all-out attack on Canadian workers, their families and the industries that keep our economy running. Trump is imposing tariffs that have nothing to do with fair trade or the best interests of workers in the United States either. This reckless decision threatens jobs, risks devastating the Canadian communities that rely on them and will disrupt the supply chains on which North America depends.”
USW International President David McCall echoed Warren's frustration, emphasizing the deep ties connecting American and Canadian workers.
McCall commented: “Canadian and American workers are not in competition – we build goods together. These tariffs will hurt manufacturing, drive up costs and kill jobs on both sides of the border. Our whole union stands in full solidarity with our Canadian members, as all across the USW, we fight for real solutions to unfair trade.”
The labour union issued these remarks: “The USW calls on the Canadian government to take immediate and decisive action to send a clear message that Canada will not be bullied, starting with the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products to match the scale of this attack. Canada must also strengthen its procurement policies, to ensure that publicly funded projects support Canadian jobs, and provide direct support to affected workers by expanding the Work-Share program, enhancing Employment Insurance, setting up a wage subsidy program, and investing in domestic industries to protect well-paid, community-supporting jobs.
Canadian USW Director Warren added, “This isn’t just about steel or aluminum, like it was in 2018. Trump is now going after every sector of the Canadian economy. Lumber, energy, manufacturing - you name it. He's trying to crush Canadian workers and force our government into submission. Well, we won't be intimidated.”
Finally, he issued this call to politicians: “This is a test of leadership. The federal government must act now. We need a robust response that defends our jobs, protects our industries and sends a clear message: Canadian workers will not stand for it and Canada will fight back."
USW calls on all workers, unions, business leaders and politicians at all levels of government - regardless of political stripe – to take a stand and fight back against this economic attack.”
The USW represents 225,000 members in nearly every economic sector across Canada and is the largest private-sector union in North America, with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.
More information is posted at www.Ucw.ca.
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