Strength and Solidarity in the face of a trade war at the 2025 NDF Convention

St. John’s, N.L. – July 15, 2025 – More than 300 UFCW Canada activists from across the country gathered in St. John’s, Newfoundland, from July 13 to 15 for the 2025 National Defence Fund (NDF) Convention—a key event focused on strengthening union solidarity and support during collective bargaining.

The 2025 NDF Convention, hosted by the UFCW Eastern Provinces Council — Locals 1288P, 864, and 1252 — was held at the St. John’s Convention Centre and Delta St. John’s, with exceptional support from UFCW 1252 members staffing the event.

For more than three decades, the NDF has provided UFCW Canada members and their local unions with additional financial resources and enhanced negotiating strength during strikes or lockouts. The annual convention offers updates on NDF bargaining units and explores strategies to build bargaining power across UFCW’s core industries. The key themes of the 2025 Convention were strength and solidarity in the face of tariffs and a trade war.

“This year’s NDF comes at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, where tariffs threaten our future prosperity and the stability of our core sectors,” said UFCW National President Shawn Haggerty in his keynote speech. “Our resolve as a union is being tested like never before, but we’ve been relentless and up to the task, as we pressure politicians and elected officials to act in the best interest of our members has been critical to securing our industries and softening the impact that tariffs and other acts of economic harm have on our workplaces.”

UFCW International President Milton Jones addressed delegates about the ongoing attacks on the labour movement in the United States, marking his first time speaking to Canadian UFCW members in Canada since being elected International President. “By creating confusion, stoking division, and weakening key institutions, the [current U.S.] administration’s aim is to dismantle the ability of working people to organize and negotiate the union contracts they have earned and deserve,” said Jones in his address. “But we see it. We understand it. And we are not afraid. We will not let them divide us. We will not let them silence us. And we will not let them roll back the progress working people have made over generations of struggle.”

Over the course of the two-day event, UFCW activists participated in presentations and workshops that focused on core industry issues, bargaining trends, and new tactics for empowering members as a force for positive change at work and at the bargaining table. Local rank-and-file members spoke about how trade disruptions are impacting the frontline, while the General Secretary of the IUF, Kristjan Bragason, spoke to the global challenges the labour movement is facing. 

During the plenary, delegates voted unanimously to increase fund benefits by 25 percent. The new weekly per capita rate is $2.00 equivalent to $250 per week picket pay, $1.00 equivalent to $125 per week picket pay, or 0.50 cents equivalent to $65 per week picket pay. UFCW Canada members belonging to the NDF now have access to some of the highest picket pay in North America, in addition to the additional strength and support that comes with being part of the NDF.

On both days of the convention, delegates joined their respective sector meetings for the packinghouse, hospitality, soft drink, warehouse flour milling, and retail food industries. Key themes included mental health, industry trends, surveillance in the workplace, and more.

The convention closed with keynote delivered by Charlie Angus and the Resistance Tour, as the longtime M.P. delivered a powerful blend of storytelling, politics and music that honoured workers, challenges inequality and inspires collective action.

The 2026 NDF Convention will be hosted by UFCW Local 401 in Calgary from July 26 to 28, 2026.

To learn more about the National Defence Fund and the integral support it provides to members, visit the UFCW Canada NDF website.

To stand up for Canada in the face of an ongoing trade war, visit our union-made products page to learn what food products are made-in-Canada by UFCW members.