WASHINGTON, March 4, 2025 – Brian Bryant, International President of the 600,000-member IAM Union, and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice President, issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada:
“The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Union strongly condemns the Trump administration’s reckless decision to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports. This harmful action threatens jobs, raises prices, and undermines the long-standing economic partnership between the United States and Canada.
“The IAM has always supported trade policies that protect and grow jobs in both nations. But these tariffs are an unjustified attack on a trusted ally.
“Canada is not the enemy. Canada is committed to fair trade practices that support workers and communities. This decision will disrupt industries that rely on integrated supply chains, hurting workers on both sides of the border.
“The IAM represents 600,000 workers, including tens of thousands in aerospace, defense, and manufacturing—industries that depend on strong U.S.-Canada cooperation. These tariffs will destabilize those sectors, putting livelihoods and our nations’ economies at risk.
“As our union has said previously, tariffs should be used strategically to counter bad actors, like China, that manipulate markets and undermine fair trade.
“Targeting Canada with punitive tariffs is not only misguided, but dangerous. It weakens North American industry and puts working families in jeopardy.
“We urge President Trump to immediately reconsider these tariffs and pursue trade policies that strengthen, rather than weaken, the economic relationship between the United States and Canada.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across the United States and Canada.
