November 6, 2024
Unifor members across the country have closely followed the 2024 United States election. Canada and the United States are economically interdependent. As a result, any change in U.S. policy and the U.S. economy is consequential to Canadian jobs, communities, economic sectors and trade.
On November 5, U.S. citizens voted to elect Republican candidate Donald Trump as the country’s 47th President. While full Congressional voting results are still unconfirmed, Republicans have also won a majority of seats in the Senate. President-elect Trump’s proposed economic policies, particularly on matters affecting bilateral trade, create uncertainty for millions of workers in trade-dependent workplaces in Canada. Further, Trump’s regressive social policies, including those targeting equity-deserving groups, and excessive support for deregulation and tax cuts for the rich, threaten to widen existing inequalities.
Unifor fully commits to meet head-on any and all challenges resulting from the policies of a second Trump Administration.
As the union’s National Executive Board, we know that our members may be concerned about the impacts of the election on workers in our country. We will vigorously defend the interests of workers in Canada, working collaboratively with like-minded governments, civil society organizations and U.S.-based allies, wherever and however necessary. Unifor was actively involved in the negotiations of the 2020 Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and is proactively preparing for the scheduled 2026 CUSMA review, including through our recent recommendations to the Canadian government. Unifor will also continue to advocate for and demand industrial strategies that safeguard and grow the domestic economy.
President Trump’s first term was marred by unilateral and unprovoked trade threats and tariffs on Canadian goods, including in the automotive, aerospace, steel, aluminum and forestry industries, among others. Unifor worked closely with federal and provincial governments, businesses and civil society to respond to and resolve many of these challenges. While it is unclear if and how Trump’s proposal for new import tariffs, deregulation, and cuts to clean technology incentives will manifest, it remains Unifor’s priority to protect our members and all workers across Canada. Our members can rest assured that we will monitor and analyze the economic decisions of the Trump administration, and keep you informed of their impacts here in Canada. We will ensure that the interests of Canadian workers are front and centre today and into the future.
Our union believes strongly that we can and must build working class power across borders. Throughout our history, we have long created links of solidarity with friends and allies in Canada and in the United States. The challenges presented by a new Trump Administration will require us to organize, mobilize, educate, and continuously fight for a better world for everyone.