Canada’s unions and workers united against Trump’s tariff threats, says CLC
The statement argued that the proposed tariffs are not just a trade issue but an economic and social emergency.
January 20, 2025 | By MRO Magazine
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has released a statement condemning President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian products. The CLC warns that such tariffs would directly harm workers on both sides of the border, particularly in key sectors like manufacturing, mining, energy and agriculture—industries that rely heavily on unionized labor.
“These tariffs would create a devastating ripple effect, impacting families and entire communities,” the CLC said in its statement, released on Jan. 17. “The stakes are immense: escalating costs of living, stagnant wages, and now the Trump tariff threats, putting workers’ livelihoods at risk.”
The statement argued that the proposed tariffs are not just a trade issue but an economic and social emergency. The CLC is calling on the Canadian government to act with urgency to protect Canadian jobs and industries and to develop a long-term industrial strategy to safeguard workers from unpredictable trade conflicts.
According to the statement, unions across Canada will stand united against what they see as an attack on Canadian workers. “Solidarity is our power, and we will not allow Canadian workers to become collateral damage in reckless trade disputes,” it said.
The CLC has urged the federal government to reject the tariff threats outright, saying, “It’s time for Canada’s political leadership to recognize the urgency and address this before it becomes a full-blown crisis.”
Read the full statement from the CLC here.
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