Unifor responds to federal measures, calls for stronger action to protect workers

Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor, says the federal government’s measures to support workers and sectors hit hardest by U.S. tariffs and trade disruptions include positive steps, but stronger action is still needed to protect workers and build resilient industries.

“Taken together, these measures show progress, but this is the time for bold action to make transformative change in our economy,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne, in a statement on Sept. 5. “Workers in auto, aluminum, steel, forestry, energy and beyond need permanent protections, ambitious industrial strategies and a sustained Buy Canadian approach that puts our jobs and communities first.”

Unifor says the federal government’s adjustments to Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, including the removal of the 20 per cent sales requirement for 2026, are necessary given “unprecedented challenges facing the domestic industry.” But while the move provides temporary relief to an industry impacted by Trump’s tariffs, Unifor warns “the change is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.”

“We cannot surrender the future of EV production to overseas automakers,” said Payne. “Canada needs consumer incentives, investments in domestic EV supply chains, and for automakers to start building affordable EVs here in Canada. A mandate alone won’t secure a Canadian EV industry—we need a full industrial strategy that ensures we both make and sell EVs in this country.”

The union noted that other measures announced on Sept. 5 reflect long-standing proposals from Unifor, as outlined in the union’s economic vision document, Charting a New Path for Canada’s Economy. These include a commitment to a Canadian content policy, which Unifor says should extend beyond steel and lumber to cover a broader range of goods and services procured by federal agencies and Crown corporations — including vehicles, rolling stock, buses, trucks, ships, telecommunications and public services.

Unifor also responded to Employment Insurance changes, such as extended benefits for long-tenured workers and waived separation payments and waiting periods. While described as constructive, the union says these changes should be made permanent and expressed concern that the current definition of “long-tenured” may exclude workers affected by retooling and downtime, particularly in the auto sector.

The union welcomed the federal government’s $382 million investment over five years to establish “Workforce Alliances,” which align with Unifor’s call for sector-wide councils involving unions and industry stakeholders. However, Unifor urged the government to broaden its focus beyond labour market projects to include wider industrial development and investment planning.

Other measures highlighted include the $5 billion Strategic Response Fund to support trade-exposed industries, a $450 million skills package to retrain 50,000 workers, and $370 million in biofuel incentives aimed at supporting Canadian producers.