Steelworkers welcome tariff pause, call on the government to hold the line for Canadian workers and jobs

TORONTO, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Steelworkers union (USW) National Director Marty Warren issued the following statement on the postponement of additional 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods and ongoing Canada-U.S. trade negotiations:

“The pause on another round of 50% tariffs is welcome news for Canadian workers. The progress reported in negotiations is encouraging, but important work clearly remains to be done.

Existing tariffs continue to hurt Canadian steel, aluminum, copper, forestry, automotive and other industries, and the broader Canada-U.S. trade negotiations remain critical for workers across the country.

Our test for those negotiations remains straightforward: Canada must protect Canadian jobs and industrial capacity, secure meaningful reductions in U.S. tariffs and give workers and industries the certainty they need to invest and grow in Canada.

Canada should keep negotiating from a position of strength. No deal is better than a bad deal that sacrifices Canadian workers, jobs or key industries.

Whatever happens over the coming days, Canada must intensify its efforts to strengthen our economy and build our domestic industrial capacity.

This pause provides some breathing room. Canada must use it to keep pushing for an outcome that protects workers, strengthens Canadian industries and builds a more resilient economy.”

About the United Steelworkers union

The USW represents 225,000 members in nearly every economic sector across Canada and is the largest private-sector union in North America, with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

Each year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because of the union’s strong track record in creating healthier, safer and more respectful workplaces and negotiating better working conditions and fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and pensions.

For more information, please contact:
François Soucy, USW Communications, 873-355-2841, fsoucy@usw.ca