TORONTO – The United Steelworkers union (USW) issued the following statement in response to the federal budget 2026:
“The United Steelworkers welcome federal investments in Canada’s forestry and wood products sector, as well as in the critical minerals industry. These are important steps toward the industrial strategy Canada needs.
But we cannot build the industries of tomorrow and become masters of our own destiny while allowing the jobs and industrial capacity we have today to disappear. The Stelco layoffs are a stark reminder that investing in future production means little if we don’t protect existing jobs—starting with using the tariff rate quota program to better control American imports.
A stronger economy also requires stronger protections for workers, strong public services and respect for fundamental rights. Temporary supports are no substitute for lasting improvements to Employment Insurance and Work-Sharing. And workers’ fundamental right to strike must be restored – not undermined through Bill C-39 – so they can truly bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions.
Canada needs an industrial strategy that protects jobs, strengthens workers’ rights and puts workers first. The budget makes progress, but more must be done to protect existing jobs and ensure workers share in Canada’s economic future.”
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First published on globeandmail.com on October 22, 2026 By Marty Warren, Special to the Globe and Mail Marty Warren, the Canadian national director of the United Steelworkers union. As I write, more workers at Hamilton’s Stelco steel mill are being laid off. In all, the plant’s U.S. owner, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., will cut up to 500 jobs. This, […]