IAM Union: A Beacon of Hope for U.S.-Canada Trade Relations

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2025 – Brian Bryant, International President of the 600,000-member IAM Union, and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice President, issued the following statement following a pause of proposed U.S.-Canadian tariffs:

"As the largest aerospace and defense labor union in the United States and Canada, the IAM Union is relieved that destructive tariffs between our two allied countries are being paused. A new path forward—one that doesn’t put U.S. and Canadian workers in a needless cycle of worrying about job loss due to tariff threats between allies—is possible. This moment offers the perfect opportunity for workers and unions from both countries to be a part of the solution moving forward.

“For decades, we have seen millions of good-paying, high-skilled U.S. and Canadian jobs outsourced to countries with little to no labor rights. Thanks to bad trade deals, tens of thousands of good IAM Union aerospace and defense jobs have become low-wage jobs in Mexico, while China has used forced technology offsets to create its own aerospace industry. This race-to-the-bottom model is being replicated by other bad actors across the globe – and it’s hurting all workers, as well as our shared national security.

“We have a chance right now to pull all stakeholders – government, business and labor – together to forge a real, comprehensive strategy to protect and grow critical manufacturing here in the United States and Canada. Workers on the both sides of the border deserve to drive policy conversations about their livelihoods, not be pawns in a larger political discussion.”

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.

goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

In light of the pause in tariffs between the U.S. and Canada, the IAM Union has called for a collaborative approach to trade policy that prioritizes the needs of workers on both sides of the border. The union has long advocated for fair trade practices and the protection of critical manufacturing jobs in the aerospace and defense industries. With the recent pause in tariffs, there is an opportunity for government, business, and labor stakeholders to work together to create a comprehensive strategy that addresses the challenges posed by outsourcing and forced technology offsets.

The IAM Union has been a vocal critic of bad trade deals that have led to the outsourcing of jobs to countries with little to no labor rights. The union has also raised concerns about China's use of forced technology offsets to build its own aerospace industry. The IAM Union believes that a comprehensive strategy to protect and grow critical manufacturing in the U.S. and Canada must address these challenges and prioritize the needs of workers.

The IAM Union has called for a new path forward in U.S.-Canada trade relations, one that does not put workers in a cycle of worrying about job loss due to tariff threats. The union has urged all stakeholders to work together to create a real, comprehensive strategy that protects and grows critical manufacturing in both countries. The IAM Union believes that workers deserve to drive policy conversations about their livelihoods, not be pawns in a larger political discussion.

As the largest aerospace and defense labor union in the United States and Canada, the IAM Union is well-positioned to lead the charge in forging a new path forward in U.S.-Canada trade relations. The union's call for a collaborative approach to trade policy that prioritizes the needs of workers is a beacon of hope for a more prosperous and secure future for both countries.

Sources:

• IAM Union Statement, Feb. 3, 2025



• Canada's response to U.S. tariffs, Feb. 2, 2025



• Deloitte's 2025 Aerospace and Defense Industry Outlook