Autoworkers feeling 'mental anguish' in anticipation of possible tariffs Tuesday

Autoworkers in Windsor, Ont. are holding their breath in the lead up to Tuesday — which could see the United States slap Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on most imports..

According to Jayson Mercier, who has worked at the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant for 25 years, the situation is unnerving and causing "mental anguish" within the workplace, with many colleagues feeling the pain.

"It's an emotional roller coaster," he said. "As the day gets closer to [Tuesday], it's terrifying."

"There's nobody really going around telling us, 'Oh, everything's going to be okay!' Nobody's telling us that. So at the end of the day, all the worry lies on our shoulders as workers."

Line worker Derek Gungle is one of the 4,500 people employed at the plant. He describes the workplace atmosphere at Windsor's largest employer as "tense" with workers unsure of what to expect from day to day.

'Death knell for this entire industry'

Some analysts have predicted that should tariffs kick in, plants could grind to a halt within a week, resulting in mass layoffs. 

In a normal year, according to the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, about 80 per cent of vehicles made in Canada — almost all from Ontario — are exported to the U.S. It's about $53 billion worth of exports.

Trump first mentioned the 25 per cent tariff after his inauguration on January 20th. He later put a 30-day pause on the threat, which ends March 4th.

Trump has also threatened additional automotive tariffs in April, making claims that Canada "stole" the industry from the United States.

"It's a death knell for this entire industry," Gungle said.

He said anyone involved in the automotive industry is at risk of losing their job.

Feels personal

Fellow Stellantis auto worker Kathy McKay says it feels like a personal attack.

"I'm a very proud Canadian. My parents both served in the military, and to have him characterize Canada as being anything but the best partner, friend and neighbour that the U.S. has ever had completely is a slap in my face," she said.

"Tariffs do threaten jobs on both sides of the border. It could throw us into a layoff. The economy could crash. If the economy crashes, you know darn well big ticket items like autos are the first on the chopping list."

She is close to retirement, so while she does feel her job is at risk, she's more worried for her colleagues with lower seniority.

"The younger workers are very concerned."

Trickle down effect

Gungle says he doesn't have a back up plan if he gets laid off, but he's saving money instead of spending.

Mercier said he's worried about what the situation could do to his pension.

"If they take that, they pull that rug from underneath us? It's devastation really is what it is," he said.

As for what Mercier would do if he does lose his job, he said it's very hard to have a back up plan for thousands of auto workers looking for a job at the same time.

Mercier, McKay and Gungle each pointed out that mass layoffs would have a disastrous trickle down effect on the whole city. 

"I was even going to get a haircut the other day and my barber was saying that he's concerned about his business because if people aren't working, obviously they're not going to be going and getting haircuts," Gungle said.

"So every industry is going to be affected."

For Mercier, the one thing that gives him hope is the union, Unifor.

"I think most workers in our plant do have faith in the union and they can do some pretty miraculous things. And I've seen it with my eyes," he said. 

"So that's where I put my trust in right now is with our union and hopefully that if the day ever comes, that they can negotiate a fair agreement for us going forward."