Thousands rise at Unifor rally to Protect Canadian Jobs
WINDSOR, ON, April 26, 2025 /CNW/ - With fists raised and voices roaring, thousands of Unifor members, labour leaders, and allies surged into Windsor's Riverfront Festival Plaza today in a powerful show of defiance against U.S. President Trump's assault on Canadian jobs.
"Trump's trade war is a direct attack on Canadian workers, and today we are sending a clear message – we won't back down," declared Unifor National President Lana Payne. "We will fight for our jobs, our industries, our future and our country. This rally is proof that we are united, we are strong, and we are ready."
Unifor members filled buses from across Ontario, including Brampton, Ingersoll, Kitchener, London, Oakville, Oshawa, St. Catharines, and Toronto, converging on Windsor alongside local member and supporters. Just steps from the U.S. border, they vowed to resist U.S. President Donald Trump's destructive trade agenda by any means necessary.
"U.S. tariffs are killing good Canadian jobs and threatening entire communities," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. "This is about more than a trade dispute – this is about defending every Canadian worker from economic warfare. We won't stand by while our jobs are stolen, and our industries are dismantled."
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Unifor, Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, denounced the aggressive U.S. policies and called for a united national response.
"This is a fight for the heart of Canada's economy and the livelihood of every worker," said Bruske. "Trump's reckless tariffs are designed to destabilize us – but we are not powerless. We are mobilizing across the country to demand action, protect communities, and defend Canadian jobs with everything we've got."
Rally speakers included rank-and-file health care workers who warned of the potential impacts on our social safety net in the event of an economic downturn.
Unifor members from sectors hardest hit by the trade war, including auto, independent parts suppliers and forestry, shared powerful testimony and issued a united call to intensify pressure both at home and abroad.
Unifor is pushing for immediate, bold action to strengthen economic resilience and safeguard Canadian sovereignty, including:
- Strategic tariff retaliation to counter unfair U.S. policies
- Penalties for companies that move jobs or operations from Canada in response to tariffs
- Enhanced income supports for displaced workers
- 'Buy Canadian' procurement policies to keep public dollars at home
- Export management and domestic processing of natural resources
- Emergency relief programs to prevent layoffs and maintain critical operations
Watch the rally video and join the fight at ProtectJobs.ca.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor