Recent tariff announcements by President Trump have stirred a range of reactions across different sectors, particularly among Wall Street investors. The announcement’s abrupt and significant nature has caused disruption, with some global manufacturers halting U.S. shipments and economists pondering the potential for a recession.
Despite the controversy, Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers (UAW), remains a proponent of certain tariffs. While generally opposing President Trump’s policies, Fain acknowledges that the tariffs address long-standing issues that have affected the U.S. manufacturing sector, especially in the auto industry.
Support for Auto Industry Tariffs
Fain has expressed mixed feelings about the tariffs, labeling the latest global tariffs as “reckless.” However, he supports earlier tariffs placed on the U.S. auto industry, which he believes help rectify past trade policies that have harmed domestic manufacturing. “We’ve sat here for the last 30 plus years, with the inception of [the North American Free Trade Agreement] back in 1993-94, and watched our manufacturing base in this country disappear,” Fain stated.
Indifference Toward Stock Market Reactions
Fain shows little concern for the stock market’s decline, attributing the panic to Wall Street interests rather than the needs of ordinary Americans. “You know, half of Americans don’t even have stock,” he said, emphasizing that many Americans lack retirement savings and are more focused on day-to-day survival than market fluctuations.
Impact on Consumer Prices
While acknowledging that tariffs might increase consumer prices, Fain criticizes the current economic system where the wealthy maintain profits at the expense of the working class. He sees tariffs as a necessary measure to prevent exploitative labor practices, describing them as a tool to “eliminate the race to the bottom.”
Adjustments Within the Auto Industry
Despite the sudden implementation of tariffs, Fain believes the auto industry can adapt. He cited Stellantis’s recent production shift to Mexico, suggesting that laid-off workers could be rehired if production shifted back to the U.S. “There’s 2,000 workers that got laid off. They could put them back to work in a month and be building Ram trucks back there,” he noted.
Criticism of Economic Warnings
Fain dismisses recession concerns from Wall Street, questioning their motives during periods of corporate price hikes. He also challenges the narrative that reshored factories will be highly automated, advocating for skilled trade jobs that offer better pay. “The sad reality of this is [the idea that] it’s a bad thing that we put manufacturing back in this country because labor is expensive. That is pathetic,” he argued, invoking past presidential sentiments on fair labor practices.
The audio version of this interview was produced by Mansee Khurana and edited by Arezou Rezvani. The digital version was produced and edited for the web by Majd Al-Waheidi.
Copyright 2025 NPR
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