Trump Tariffs Threaten Jobs at Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports

• Trump Tariffs Threaten Jobs
• Imports from China Decline
• Communities Fear Economic Fallout

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, two of the most important in the country, are facing a crisis triggered by the trade war driven by former President Donald Trump.

The increase in tariffs on imported goods—particularly from China—is causing widespread shipment cancellations.

This situation not only disrupts the flow of goods but is already leading to a significant drop in port employment.

Danny Vilicich, president of the Maritime Workers Union, warned that ILWU workers are beginning to experience a shortage of work.

Trump Tariffs Prompt Shipment Cancellations at Key Ports

“We’re going to see a decrease in work. Our workforce won’t be working as much as they’re used to,” he said with concern.

The nearly 10,000 workers—including seafarers and supervisors—who depend on these ports are already feeling the impact of reduced operations.

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The outlook is grim: up to 60 “blank sailings”—canceled ship arrivals—are anticipated by May.

This means cargo vessels won’t arrive, and with them, the goods that generate jobs and activity won’t arrive either.

The Port of Los Angeles is projecting a 35% drop in imports during the first week of May compared to the same period last year.

Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director, said that most of these products come from China, the main partner affected by the tariffs.

“Merchants and importers are telling me directly they’ve practically halted imports from China,” Seroka explained.

“With tariffs of 145% on those imports, that effectively makes Chinese goods two and a half times more expensive than last month,” he added.

Drop in Chinese Imports Deepens Crisis

The domino effect of this trade policy is impacting not only ports but also supply chains and end consumers.

Nick Vyas, director of the Global Supply Chain Institute at USC, said that even if Trump’s trade war stopped today, the damage would persist for months.

“We’ll either run out of certain goods or see serious inflation in others,” he warned.

According to Vyas, the current inventory imbalance could take up to six months to stabilize, in a process similar to what was experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This means alternating periods of shortage followed by disorderly resupply waves, affecting the entire economy.

Vilicich also voiced concern about the social consequences of a port slowdown on local communities.

“This will shut down a large part of our economy here… It’s going to impact our kids,” he lamented.

The union leader emphasized that port activity supports a network of businesses including restaurants, stores, sports clubs, and youth programs, all of which Trump’s tariffs could harm.

Social Consequences and Political Pressure

The drop in work volume threatens to hit those sectors directly, increasing the region’s economic vulnerability.

In addition, the collateral effects of Trump’s tariffs are spreading to rural America, especially to farmers and ranchers.

Seroka emphasized that producers are struggling to export due to retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries.

“American farmers are paying the price,” he said bluntly.

Vyas, Seroka, and Vilicich all agree that the only viable solution is for the Trump administration to withdraw the tariffs that sparked this crisis.

They believe political pressure is urgently needed to prevent a local recession with national implications.

Meanwhile, on the docks of Southern California, work is drying up, ships aren’t coming, and uncertainty is rising among those who depend on the sea and its movement.

And all this, experts warn, could be only the beginning if the direction of trade policy isn’t reversed, as reported by ABC News.