WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2024 – U.S. and Canadian leaders of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), North America’s largest aerospace and defense labor union which represents members in both countries, called for cooperation between the U.S. and Canada amidst President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he would impose a blanket 25% tariff on all Canadian goods imported into the United States.
“The IAM Union has long been a leader in advocating for trade policies that bring our jobs back home to the United States and Canada,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “As we have always said, part of this strategy should include targeted, strategic tariffs against bad actors, such as China, that cheat global trade rules to gain an unfair advantage over U.S. and Canadian workers. As close allies and national security partners, the United States and Canada should be working together, not against each other, to level the global playing field.”
The IAM represents hundreds of thousands of members in the aerospace, defense and other manufacturing sectors in both the countries. Many IAM members work at companies that rely heavily on integrated supply chains between the U.S. and Canada.
“Canada and the United States have the opportunity to be global leaders for trade practices that put working people first,” said IAM Canadian General Vice President David Chartrand. “Instead of infighting amongst allies, we should stand together against the illegal trade practices of countries like China. The national security of our two countries, and the livelihoods of millions of workers, depend on the United States and Canada working together.”
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.