Unifor heats up the campaign to Protect Canadian Jobs with federal lobby week

Unifor took to Parliament Hill to push MPs from all sitting parties to enact worker’s demands to Protect Canadian Jobs, as U.S. imposed tariffs continue to put Canadian jobs and entire communities at risk across the country.

During the union’s federal lobby week, Unifor leadership, including national officers, National Executive Board members and local leaders sat down to share their experiences in workplaces and industries at risk, and to push for urgent action. 

“We are now one year since Trump imposed tariffs on aluminum and steel and almost to the year anniversary of tariffs on the auto sector. President Trump is trying very hard to take Canadian jobs, jobs which are not his to take,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

“We’re here in Ottawa to tell MPs to step up and do what needs to be done to protect jobs and workers’ rights here at home, to tell companies that there are consequences for messing with Canada, and to reinforce our supply chains before it’s too late.” 

Unifor is calling on the federal government to implement three policy pillars to protect workers and increase Canada’s economic resilience:

Take Action: Sign the Pledge 

1. “Buy Canadian” and “Sell Here, Build Here”: Companies that sell in Canada must build in Canada. We need “Buy Canadian” rules applied to projects like the $3 billion VIA Rail renewal. This also means ending preferential treatment for U.S. suppliers and using every legal tool to stop the offshoring of Canadian jobs.
2. Worker-Centered Industrial Strategies: Develop coherent, sector-specific strategies with clear targets to reinforce Canada's industrial base.  We need industrial strategies crafted with worker input to prioritize job quality and training, bridge supply chain gaps and protect good jobs in every sector.
3. Promote Good, Union Jobs: Ensure public dollars only go to companies that respect workers’ rights. Unifor’s plan calls for union neutrality for companies that benefit from government funding, defending the right to strike, and trade rules that protect Canadian workers from unfair competition.

“Manufacturing jobs are vanishing by the thousands, and in forestry Canada’s supply chain is hanging in the balance as mills are on the precipice of closing in Quebec and across the country. When a mill closes, an entire community bears the loss, if any more are shuttered then our whole country will be missing a critical link needed to build homes, make paper products, and so much more,” said Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier.

This Protect Canadian Jobs lobby was held at a decisive time, before the federal government puts together its Spring Economic Statement, and as the country stands on the precipice of the CUSMA renegotiation. 

The 80 meetings reflected those priorities, with Unifor leadership sitting down with federal Ministers for Finance, Fisheries, Foreign Affairs, Transportation, Canadian Identity and Culture, and Veterans Affairs as well as Secretaries of State, shadow cabinet members, party leaders and MPs from all sitting parties. 

The Protect Canadian Jobs lobby team delivered the message first, but now it’s up to all members to echo that message.  

Sign the Pledge to Protect Canadian Jobs.