Unifor calls on feds for immediate countermeasures and investment protections as U.S. doubles steel, aluminum tariffs

Unifor, Canada’s largest union in the private sector, released a statement following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent, calling the move “a direct threat to Canadian jobs and economic stability.” In the statement, the union urged the federal government to “act without delay to defend Canada’s manufacturing sector and counter the escalating trade assault.” “These tariffs are killing investment in our steel, aluminum and auto sectors, and we are already seeing the consequences in lost jobs and economic instability,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We need immediate and forceful action to defend good jobs and safeguard our national economic security.” The 50 per cent tariff, which came into effect on June 4, doubles the previous 25 per cent duty imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum imports since March 2025. Canada remains the largest supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States. The U.S. imports approximately a quarter of its steel from Canadian suppliers, while half of all U.S. aluminum consumption originates from Canada. “These tariffs are a direct blow to aluminum workers in Quebec and across Canada,” said Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier. “They threaten good union jobs and destabilize an industry that plays a critical role in the North American economy. By doubling tariffs on both aluminum and steel, the U.S. is undermining the reliable, high-quality supply it depends on from Canadian workers.” Unifor says these measures are “part of Trump’s ongoing misuse of Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, using national security justifications to impose punitive trade barriers.” The increased metal tariffs follow the April 2 introduction of a 25 per cent U.S. tariff on all vehicles manufactured outside the United States, including those made in Canada. Unifor says this move “directly violates both the spirit and letter of the CUSMA agreement and its automotive side letters. An additional 25 per cent tariff remains in place based on unsubstantiated border and fentanyl claims.” Unifor also stated that the tariffs have negatively impacted integrated supply chains and threatened jobs in Canada’s steel, aluminum, automotive industries and other manufacturing industries. Unifor is calling on the federal government to respond with urgency by: Enacting immediate retaliatory tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum to match the 50 per cent rate; Implementing new border measures to prevent unfairly traded or dumped foreign steel and aluminum from entering Canada; Temporarily halting exports of strategic metals to the U.S. and building a national stockpile reserve; Strengthening the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) to block companies from relocating Canadian jobs in response to U.S. pressure. “President Trump fails to understand the chaos and damage these tariffs will inflict on workers and consumers in both Canada and the U.S.,” added Payne. “This is about economic sovereignty. Canada must respond with strength and urgency.” Unifor warns that further threats by Trump to target aerospace, softwood lumber, energy, pharmaceuticals, microchips, copper and Canada’s film and entertainment sectors demonstrate the need for a broad-based industrial and trade defense strategy. “This is a defining moment,” said Payne. “If we don’t defend our industries now, we risk losing them for good.”