Dock workers at the ILWU Local 13 faced a tough morning as cargo volumes plummeted, leading to fewer job opportunities. With the Port of Los Angeles, a critical hub for shipping, experiencing a predicted 35% drop in cargo due to tariffs on Chinese goods, workers like Charlie Camacho are feeling the strain. The decrease in container volume not only affects their immediate work prospects but also threatens local businesses associated with trucking and distribution. This downturn is expected to have wider ramifications across the country, impacting manufacturers and consumers alike.
"Less volume of cargo containers means less work for us," said longshore worker Charlie Camacho. "So we feel it, we definitely feel it."
In 2024, approximately 31% of everything that came into or out of the U.S. in shipping containers over water, came through this port complex.
Port officials say this downturn will soon be felt much more broadly - by manufacturers and retailers around the country, as well as consumers.
Camacho, whose family has worked at the ports for three generations, spoke with pride about working as part of this system.
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