Unions Slam Trump for Giving China a Pass on Shipbuilding

A group of labor unions led by the United Steelworkers slammed the Trump administration for suspending port fees on Chinese ships that workers argued would bring about a revival in the once-dominant domestic shipbuilding industry.

The unions expressed “strong disappointment” with the administration’s decision and said it would have negative consequences in the nation’s attempt to restore the US’s maritime sector, according to a letter sent to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The letter, also signed by the International Association of Machinists, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, said the decision will allow China to continue “predatory behavior.”