United Steelworkers union supports NDP’s plan to strengthen domestic procurement rules and enact aggressive countermeasures to tackle tariff threat

/EIN News/ -- SAULT STE. MARIE, Ontario, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Steelworkers union (USW) is voicing its support for the NDP’s new plan of an aggressive national response to Trump administration’s tariffs threat, combined with a robust federal procurement policy, suggested today in the NDP’s Build Canadian Buy Canadian plan.

In a press conference in Sault Ste. Marie with the USW and the Canadian Labour Congress, federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced the party’s plan to overhaul federal procurement rules to prioritize materials built in Canada with the goal of fostering a more resilient economy. The USW, and broader labour movement have long advocated for strong domestic procurement rules. The NDP would also support assertive retaliatory tariffs and ensure strong support for Canadian workers affected by the Trump tariffs.

“Workers should not have to pay the price for a trade war, and if we act now, they won’t have to. We can create and keep good, unionized, mortgage-paying jobs, keep Canadian dollars north of the border, and fire up our manufacturing industry to build more of what we need right here in Canada. We can also get supports in place so Canadian workers can keep putting food on the table,” said Singh.

USW National Director for Canada Marty Warren voiced his frustration at politicians who are using the possible tariff crisis for their own gain, while ignoring potential suffering in communities across Canada.

“While we’re standing up for jobs, some politicians in Canada are playing political games to advance their own agenda. This is the time to put partisanship aside and come together to protect workers,” said Warren. “If you’re not fighting these tariffs, if you’re not calling for an emergency plan for workers, you’re not fighting for workers.”

Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske said workers need Canada’s political leaders to recognize the urgency and address this issue before it becomes a full-blown crisis.

“President Trump is a bully, and we won’t back down from a fight. We will push back,” Bruske said. “We won’t allow Canadian workers to become collateral damage in reckless trade disputes. This requires an all-hands-on-deck response, especially when it comes to standing up for working people across Canada.”

USW District 6 Director Kevon Stewart emphasized that it is not just a steel issue – it’s also about the broader manufacturing sector and the families who depend on good-paying, union jobs to put food on the table.

“Let's be clear: Trump’s claims that Canada engages in unfair trade practices are completely unfounded. Targeting Canada will not help American workers. It will only increase costs for families on both sides of the border, raise uncertainty and harm our shared economic future,” Stewart said.

USW Local 2724 President Bill Slater, representing 500 workers at Algoma Steel and USW Local 2251 President Mike Da Prat, representing another 2,200 workers at Algoma, both voiced concerns about how workers and their families in the region will be affected by punitive tariffs.

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 – sdevine@usw.ca, 416-938-4402.