Marketplace All-in-One When workers are profiled, bullied, and harassed
Feb 19, 2026
Kimberly Adams, a Washington correspondent covering tariffs and midsize business impacts. Maurice Rahming, president of a Portland construction firm dealing with worker safety and retention. They discuss soaring tariff costs for midsize companies. They describe workers being profiled, followed, yelled at, and harassed off-site, and how that bullying forces employees to cut hours or quit.
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Tariff Shock Hits Mid-Sized Firms
- Mid-sized companies' tariff payments nearly tripled starting early last year and strain margins.
- Kimberly Adams explains these firms often can't shift supply chains and may pass costs to customers.
Small Manufacturer's Tariff Burden
- Julie Robbins of Earthquaker Devices paid almost $80,000 in new tariffs since spring and expects ~ $200,000 this year.
- She already raised prices and anticipates another price hike as tariffs persist.
Workers Harassed Off Job Sites
- Maurice Rahming shared that workers face bullying and harassment off job sites when they run errands or drive company trucks.
- That harassment makes some employees cut hours or opt out of work to protect their families.