West Coast dockworkers blast Trump’s ‘reckless’ tariffs

A union representing West Coast dockworkers has sharply criticized President Trump over his “reckless” tariffs that will hurt American workers.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) released a statement condemning the Trump administration’s tariff agenda.

“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,” ILWU said in its Monday statement.

The union noted the tariffs have created tension with allies and are a “direct attack” on the working class.

The statement comes as Trump engages in a trade war with China after he significantly increased the country’s tariffs to 145 percent. China followed up with its own 125 percent tariff on U.S. goods, and the countries are locked in a standoff impacting global supply chains.

“Hundreds of thousands of jobs are dependent on or connected to global trade,” ILWU said. “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 highlighted its concern that costs for everyday necessities for Americans will skyrocket and further fuel the nation’s housing crisis. The union argued that the tariffs are going to be an economic war on working people.

While the Trump administration has defended its tariff plan as a way to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., experts are concerned that manufacturers will look elsewhere, and it will ultimately harm U.S. growth.

ILWU argued that this agenda doesn’t put “America First,” and just puts American workers last because it will cut jobs, raise prices and create economic instability across the 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,” ILWU said. “However, this haphazard and destructive tariff plan is a sad excuse for a ‘fair trade’ policy.”

The union said it was demanding a fair trade policy that placed U.S. union workers first and reduced Americans’ taxes, not a policy determined by Trump’s whim.

ILWU’s statement comes just after Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) met with the union and other local businesses that will be impacted by the tariffs in her state’s trading ports.

“Every morning small business owners, port longshoremen, warehouse workers, and families wake up wondering if today will be the day they have to close up shop or will lose their job,” Murray said in a statement. “Congress needs to step up and put an end to these tariffs.”