A union representing US West Coast dockworkers has sharply criticized President Trump over his recent tariffs that will hurt American workers.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) released a statement condemning the recent tariffs that the Trump administration has imposed.
“Tariffs are taxes. These and other reckless, shortsighted policies have begun to devastate American workers, harm critical sectors of the economy, and line the pockets of the ultra-wealthy at the expense of hardworking families. The tariffs have also sown distrust among our allies and inflamed geopolitical tensions. These tariffs are nothing more than a direct attack on the working class and should be opposed outright,” the ILWU said.
The union noted that the recently imposed tariffs on China have instigated a de facto trade war, with the United States imposing a staggering 145% tariff on all Chinese imports and China retaliating with a 125% tariff on all U.S. imports.
“Hundreds of thousands of jobs are dependent on or connected to global trade. Constricted trade between the world’s two largest economies could lead to devastating job losses for workers employed in the global supply chain,” the union said.
The union highlighted its concern that the cost of these tariffs will be passed on to the American worker.
The ILWU also pointed out that costs for everyday necessities (basic goods and services) for Americans will skyrocket and further fuel the nation’s housing crisis.
“The reality is clear: these tariffs don’t put “America First” – they put American working people last,” the union stressed, arguing that the measures “will kill jobs, raise costs, and fuel economic instability that will ripple through every community in this country.”
“It is undeniable that decades of free trade agreements have negatively impacted American workers and prioritized corporate profits at the expense of good paying, union jobs in America.
“However, this haphazard and destructive tariff plan is a sad excuse for a “fair trade” policy,” the union added.
The ILWU said it was demanding a fair trade policy that places US working class first and reduces Americans’ taxes, not a policy determined by Trump’s whim.
“We demand fair trade policies that put working class Americans first, protect jobs, and reduce taxes on the American people, not trade policies dictated by a president’s whims.”
