Trump Rallies Behind Dockworkers, Urging Foreign Firms to Prioritize American Jobs Over Automation.
In a move that has drawn both praise and controversy, former U.S. President Donald Trump has waded into the ongoing labor negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and their employers, known as the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).
Trump, who is set to be re-inaugurated as president in just a few days, met with the ILA’s leadership, including President Harold Daggett and Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett.
Following the discussions, the former president took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to voice his strong support for the 45,000 union dockworkers along the East and Gulf Coasts.
In his post, Trump expressed his opposition to the increased use of automation in U.S. ports, arguing that the cost savings do not justify the “distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen.”
The president-elect went on to criticize foreign companies that have “made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets,” urging them to prioritize hiring American workers over investing in labor-saving technologies.
“For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump wrote. He concluded his message with his signature rallying cry: “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”
The foreign companies mentioned in Trump’s post include the U.S. operations of Switzerland’s Mediterranean Shipping Company, Denmark’s Maersk, and China’s COSCO Shipping, all of which have a significant presence in American ports.
The ILA leadership appeared to welcome Trump’s intervention, with President Daggett expressing gratitude for the former president’s support.
In a separate message, the ILA’s Vice President Dennis Daggett expressed the hope that Trump’s stance would encourage USMX to reconsider its push for automated or semi-automated equipment in future contract proposals.
However, the employers’ group struck a more measured tone, stating that they and Trump all share the goal of “protecting and adding good-paying American jobs at our ports.” At the same time, USMX emphasized the need for “modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains.”
With the labor negotiations between the ILA and USMX set to conclude on January 15th, just days before Trump’s inauguration, the former president’s foray into the automation debate has added a new layer of complexity to the already high-stakes negotiations.
