Brian Bryant, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), representing 600,000 workers, and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice President, today issued a strong rebuke of President Trump’s tariffs, warning of severe economic consequences and job losses across the United States and Canada: 

“President Trump’s scatter-shot tariffs are a direct assault on American and Canadian workers. They will destabilize critical sectors like aerospace and manufacturing, jeopardizing hundreds of thousands of jobs and undermining national security.

“These tariffs will not bring our jobs home. They will raise prices on everything. They will wreck our supply chains on both sides of the border. And they will put our members’ jobs at risk.

“For decades, we have witnessed the erosion of millions of well-paying, high-skilled U.S. and Canadian jobs as corporations outsourced production to countries with lax labor standards. The administration’s trade policies will accelerate this decline, outsourcing thousands of IAM Union aerospace and defense jobs into low-wage positions.

“We cannot stand idly by while reckless policies destroy our supply chains, destabilize economies, and imperil the livelihoods of tens of thousands of workers, including over 100,000 aerospace workers across both nations. This administration’s isolationist approach ignores the interconnected nature of the U.S. and Canadian economies and national security.

“Our Union continues to emphasize the urgent need for a collaborative and strategic approach to tariffs. This approach must involve government, business, and labor unions and develop a comprehensive strategy that strengthens and expands critical sectors in the U.S. and Canada.

“Workers must be part of the solution to ensure that trade policies benefit our communities, not multinational corporations seeking to exploit cheap labor abroad.

“The IAM Union pledges to fight against these harmful tariffs, vowing to prevent a repeat of past trade failures that resulted in widespread economic devastation and increased risks to national security.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 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. 

Since the imposition of tariffs on Canadian imports, the IAM International Union has been a steadfast ally of IAM Union in Canada, using all political and lobbying efforts to address the damaging impact these tariffs have had on workers. Brian Bryant, International President of IAM, is now calling on the U.S. Senate to pass S.J. Res. 37, a resolution introduced by Senator Tim Kaine that would eliminate these unjustified tariffs. Representing over 600,000 workers across North America, many of whom are directly impacted by these harmful trade policies, the IAM has consistently fought for a fair-trade approach that benefits working families on both sides of the border.

In a letter addressed to U.S. Senators, Bryant emphasized the IAM’s firm commitment to fair trade and its belief in using tariffs strategically to protect American workers. However, he stressed that the tariffs on Canada—a close ally and one of the U.S.’s largest trading partners—are misguided and detrimental to both American and Canadian workers.

“The IAM stands in support of fair-trade policy and the use of measures such as tariffs when used properly to help level the playing field for the workers we represent” Bryant wrote in the letter to U.S. Senators. “The use of tariffs can be an effective enforcement measure to punish bad trade actors such as countries that do not respect the rights of workers. These new tariffs on Canada, one of our closest allies and largest trading partners, are unjust and will have lasting negative impacts on American and Canadian workers.”

Bryant further added that the rationale behind these tariffs, citing concerns about fentanyl, is fundamentally flawed. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that less than 1% of fentanyl seizures are linked to the U.S.-Canada border, while over 96% are attributed to the southern U.S. border with Mexico. This discrepancy exposes the unfounded nature of targeting Canada, a vital trade and defense partner.

“The IAM represents workers in critical sectors such as aerospace, defense and manufacturing, all of which rely heavily on seamless U.S.-Canada collaboration. These tariffs disrupt vital supply chains, destabilize economies, and threaten the livelihoods of tens of thousands of workers, including over 100,000 aerospace workers across both nations.”

General Vice-President of IAM Canada, David Chartrand, also voiced strong opposition to the tariffs. “From the very beginning, we have been advocating against these harmful tariffs,” Chartrand said. “These measures not only hurt workers in Canada, but they also undermine the close working relationship we share with our American counterparts. As we have always believed, what happens to workers in Canada directly impacts our brothers and sisters south of the border. It is time to put an end to these unjust policies and work toward a future based on fairness and cooperation.”

The IAM has been vocal in its opposition to the harmful impacts of the Trump-era tariffs, calling for a reversal of policies that jeopardize the economic well-being of workers and families. As the global economy continues to face challenges, Bryant and the IAM are urging lawmakers to take action and support policies that foster fair trade, protect workers, and ensure long-term economic stability.

With a clear message of solidarity, the IAM calls on the U.S. Senate to support S.J. Res. 37 and end these harmful tariffs on Canada, strengthening the economic bonds between the two nations while safeguarding the interests of working people.

Read the full letter from IAM International to U.S. Senators

Read the article in the press