USW: Trump's 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum are a direct attack on Canadian jobs – Ottawa must act now

TORONTO, May 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Steelworkers union (USW) is warning that U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to double tariffs on both steel and aluminum to 50% is a devastating blow to Canada’s industries and the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support – one that demands an immediate and forceful response from the federal government.

“A 50% tariff would completely shut us out of the U.S. market,” said Marty Warren, United Steelworkers National Director for Canada. “This isn’t trade policy – it’s a direct attack on Canadian industries and workers. Thousands of Canadian jobs are on the line and communities that rely on steel and aluminum are being put at risk. Canada needs to respond immediately and decisively to defend workers.”

The tariffs, announced by Trump on Friday and confirmed on social media, will take effect on Wednesday, June 4. With no exemption for Canada, these measures severely further disrupt integrated North American supply chains and threaten tens of thousands of good union jobs, both directly and indirectly, in sectors like manufacturing, auto, defense, aerospace, and construction. Canada is the United States’ largest supplier of steel and aluminum.

“Workers in Canada’s steel and aluminum industries have already been hit hard by months of uncertainty. Now their livelihoods are being threatened again,” Warren added. “We need more than statements. We need concrete action — and we need it now.”

The USW is urging the federal government to act without delay to keep workers working. The top priority must be expanding the use of Section 53 of the Customs Tariff and apply targeted countermeasures to protect the Canadian market from offshore steel. The government must also eliminate the exemptions that allow U.S. steel and aluminum to enter Canada tariff-free. If the United States is closing its market to Canadian producers, Ottawa must ensure Canadian producers are not undercut in their own.

At the same time, the federal government must move quickly to strengthen domestic demand through industrial investment and domestic procurement reform. Requiring Canadian-made steel and aluminum in all publicly funded infrastructure projects is a necessary step to support local jobs and build long-term resilience. Introducing a made-in-Canada tax credit would further incentivize the use of domestic materials by private industry. The government must also be prepared to support affected workers through a reform of Employment Insurance and a wage subsidy program with jobs guarantees to help retain skilled workers.

“Canadians expect their government to defend working people – not stand by while entire industries are pushed out of global markets,” concluded Warren.

About the United Steelworkers union
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.

Each year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because of the union’s strong track record in creating healthier, safer and more respectful workplaces and negotiating better working conditions and fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and pensions.

For more information, please contact:
Shannon Devine, USW Communications, [email protected], 416-938-4402