NAPE cuts all travel to U.S. in solidarity with Canadian unions, says president

Newfoundland and Labrador's largest union is cutting all travel plans south of the border in a show of solidarity with workers and other unions across the country, says the president.

On Monday, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees union (NAPE) announced it was pausing all union-funded travel to the U.S due to President Donald Trump's repeated rhetoric over annexing Canada and turning it into the 51st state, as well as threats to marginalized communities.

"We need to send a message of solidarity, not only to most of the premiers in the country, to our government of Newfoundland Labrador," NAPE president Jerry Earle told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show.

Earle says it's an important time to take action, claiming the U.S. is threatening Canada's sovereignty while also harming frontline workers and families in the province.

"Those big organizations then deal with the Trump administration — because they may not hear from NAPE, but they're hearing from these organizations saying, 'We're losing all this money,'" he said.

The more people who take these types of actions, the louder they will be heard, says Earle, pointing to Canadians who are boycotting the U.S., which has picked up steam as residents cancel travel plans.

"While the actions of NAPE is maybe just a pebble in the pool, many pebbles in the pool make waves," said Earle.

Solidarity with unions

Earle is concerned that fellow union members across the country are being directly impacted by the U.S. tariffs, pointing to auto sector workers as an example.

"Our actions send a message to those workers that we stand with you and we certainly hope that we don't see job loss in this country," he said.

So far, he said, Trump's rhetoric hasn't directly impacted NAPE members, but there have been indirect impacts like money that could have gone to public services might have been steered elsewhere.

He's also worried about Newfoundland and Labrador production facilities.

Earle says he's seen a Canada-wide reaction to the U.S. hostility, with only a few exceptions, and that Canadians are unified in their response to the U.S.

The board of directors will look at union-funded travel to the U.S. on a quarterly basis, but Earle says the union will need to see a clear change in the U.S. government.

"Stop this nonsense about our sovereignty, because we will never be the 51st state. Stop this [insulting] comments toward the leadership of our country," he said.

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