The head of Canada's largest private-sector union says she's glad to be putting this year behind her, but next year will present a whole new set of daunting challenges.
Unifor national president Lana Payne says trade uncertainty will loom over contract talks set for close to a third of its 320,000 members, including bargaining with the Detroit Three automakers. "We're going into bargaining in a year with a lot of uncertainty, a lot of chaos, the trade talks will be happening at the same time as we're bargaining and that will all be having an impact at the bargaining table."
Contract talks will cover about 95,000 Unifor workers next year, almost a third of its total members, including workers at the Detroit Three automakers.
Negotiators will have to contend with the risks of losing production and jobs to the U.S., as the Trump administration uses tariffs to try and bring more industrial jobs back into the country.
Payne says it's going to be a very difficult year, but that both the labour movement and Canada as a whole need to stand firm and not take bad deals.
Payne adds trade uncertainty has dominated the year, and while the economy might look better than feared, there are many hurting. "While the macro numbers might look a certain way, I would say beneath the surface are some very, very serious problems, particularly in the industrial part of Canada's economy."
Sectors including automotive, forestry and metal production have been especially hit with steep tariffs, even as most other goods are still flowing freely into the U.S., leading to an uneven picture on how the economy fared this year.
Payne says she's disgusted by the way governments at both the provincial and federal level have taken anti-union actions this year, at a time when working people need their voices more than ever.
And though the economy as a whole has fared better than many expected this year, she said that beneath the surface there are many who are experiencing very difficult times, especially in the industrial sectors.
But she says the U.S. economy is also showing signs of strain after a year of uncertainty, so there's potential to push for better terms if Canada approaches the year with resolve.