Seattle Now At the Port of Seattle, tariffs mean there's not enough work for longshoremen
Jan 22, 2026
Anna Griffin, the Pacific Northwest bureau chief at The New York Times, dives into the impact of tariffs on dockworkers at the Port of Seattle. She reveals how reduced container traffic has created a job scarcity affecting hundreds of longshoremen. Anna shares stories of casual workers grappling with gig jobs while waiting for stable employment and highlights the concerns of senior workers facing dwindling opportunities. The conversation touches on broader economic uncertainties, the threat of automation, and the need for stability in the workforce.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Tariffs Dropped Port Traffic And Created Uncertainty
- Tariffs and uncertainty have caused container volumes at the Port of Seattle to fall sharply after an initial rush to beat tariffs.
- That drop created widespread unpredictability about whether dock workers will have jobs on any given day.
Union Hall Morning Lottery
- Anna Griffin visited the ILWU Local 19 union hall and watched dispatchers assign jobs from a whiteboard each morning.
- On the day she visited there were 70 jobs but 600 workers, leaving many apprentices and casuals without work.
Structural Forces Reshape Dock Jobs
- Dock work faces long-term pressures beyond tariffs: automation, competition from Mexico and Canada, and shifting shipping routes.
- These structural changes make the path from casual to full registration longer and less certain than in past generations.