Standing with cranes and piers quieter than normal, Washington Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson announced he is signing on in support of a multi-state lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
“Washington businesses are experiencing severe disruptions, including halting plans to hire or expand due to increased uncertainty,” the brief Ferguson filed read.
“Businesses have to tighten up,” Ferguson said during a press conference Wednesday. “They don’t have the certainty on investments and employment.”
The local chapter of the port workers’ union, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19, says “casual” workers — workers called upon to help fill in gaps in staffing to handle shipping traffic — have gone without work. The 175 casual workers support the 650 regular staff. ILWU president Mark Elverston says that with two piers closed and two open, people are going without work.
“They’re not working right now because we have no container volume,” Elverston said.
Washington is the nation’s 9th highest exporter of goods, with about 160,000 jobs directly supported by the industry. When taking farming and other industries into account, regional economic development agencies estimate that 40% of jobs in the state rely on trade in some way.
“The important factor of this Trump negotiation with tariffs is creating a manufacturing economy in the United States of America,” Republican State Senator Phil Fortunato said. Sen. Fortunato sits on the state’s Business, Financial Services, Gaming, and Trade Committee and represents Pierce County communities.
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