Steelworkers union president frustrated and disappointed with Trump

The Hill

The president of the United Steelworkers union says the group is "terribly disappointed" with President Trump, who he says has done nothing to protect American jobs since taking office last January.

In an interview with CNN, United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard said that American workers are in some ways worse off now than they were just a year ago.

"We're terribly disappointed and hugely frustrated," Gerard told CNN. "There's been no action that has done anything to protect and defend American jobs. ... In some cases we're worse off now than we were then."

Chief among Gerard's concerns is the Trump administration's investigation, announced last April, into steel and aluminum imports from China and other countries suspected of violating trade practices.

At the time, Trump called the investigation “a historic day for American steel and, most importantly, for American steelworkers," and predicted that his administration would take action stemming from the investigation by the summer. So far, no action has been taken.

Part of the Trump administration's dialing back of pressure on China has been due to North Korean aggression, which Trump hopes China will help the U.S. solve.

In December, he told The New York Times that he has been "soft" on China for the sake of issues of national security, but wouldn't dismiss the possibility of tightening the screws on China's trade practices in the future.

"China's hurting us very badly on trade, but I have been soft on China because the only thing more important to me than trade is war, OK?" Trump said.

“Oil is going into North Korea. That wasn’t my deal!” he added. “If they don’t help us with North Korea, then I do what I’ve always said I want to do.”

They are shocked... how?

I don't even feel bad for them.

This man is in a position where he should have known better. It's his job to have known better.

Yes indeed.

No sympathy from me either. Given Trump's business history, they should've know that.

Con man’s a con man. No sympathy for those dumb and gullible enough to listen to one.

CNN = fake news

Epecially when it's well known that Trump's a con man.

If they are inherently dumb and gullible, can they really be at fault? I'd have sympathy in that case.

Not that well known.....most of those who voted for him believed his lies....hell they still do.

Good point.

Thank you.

Regardless of our own personal views of Trump (I think mine are well documented) some people really don't know better. The country needs to improve in a lot of ways so people don't fall for such a con.

Those people who still support him, though...

A business tycoon fails to keep his promises to the American people while fattening the paychecks of the elite?

Well jeez, I didn't expect that at all!

Maybe this guy should look at the unemployment rate.

Since Trump took office is 0.8% lower, so not sure how american workers can be worse off? This guy is clearly a muppet.

You can tell someone's a racist when they ignore the hard work and effort of a black man and credit the good work to a white man who didn't do much at all.

The Obama Administration saw the unemployment rate go down from 10/11% to 4/5%, with a gain of jobs, corporate profits, increased healthcare coverage and so on.

Wtf are you on?

Also you may want to read what i wrote, not try to come with some shit that are just there to destroy the debate.

I read what you wrote. You're giving credit to someone who doesn't deserve it. It's typical of Republicans who take but never make, who steal but don't help others.

@drunk_pi: You're an idiot if you do t think both parties don't the same thing.

Clearly, you did not read what I actually wrote.

Or, are you that partisan that you will deny that the unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than before Trump took office? Which is all I said. I never said what the cause of the decline was.

the agreement pretty much across the board by professionals on this subject attribute that to Obama and not Trump given the fact that until only about 3 weeks ago has pasted virtual zero legislation whatsoever.

but with that said, who is in control over that department? someone trump hired?

Way to go, and like Drunk, missing the point.

Answer this question. Are American workers better or worse off, with having an unemployment rate 0.8% less than it was a year ago?

neither.

so whats your point then?

So American workers are not better off with having less unemployment? meaning more people are employed.

Which world do you live in? or did you not understand the question.

that is correct they are not better off.

so again...

what

is

your

point

?

Are you ok?

You may want to go lay down and relax a bit, because you may have had a stroke.

But let´s be straight here. Of course, American workers are better off with having fewer people be unemployed. Providing for yourself and your family is a good thing.

dude!

what difference does it make to making your $%^&*( point!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear to god I hope your point is NOT that Trump has made the economy better. because its highly insulting to suggest that i 'missed the point' if that is the point. oh...hold my rage back..

what is your point?

White blue collar worker (or at least a representative of them) gets taken in by Trump's racist rhetoric, justifies it with a bunch of economic nonsense, and then acts surprised when Trump doesn't deliver on his economic promises, why am I not surprised? We told people like him that Trump didn't care about workers, he didn't listen.

Oh look, it's the, "BuT ThEY ArE ThE SaME!1!" bullshit.

it was pretty well known going into election day that Trump had been using Chinese steel in his buildings. But every time someone pointed out that Trump was railing against something he himself exploited, Trump just waved his hands about "don't hate the playa" and people bought it.

Jacanuk, you can't trust those unemployment numbers - Trump said so. The real rate is 40%. Any decline is just people dropping out of the job market /Trumpcampaigntalkingpoints

From reading this thread it sounds like some of you think the president of the steelworkers of America actually supported Trump and is now disappointed? He never supported Trump and does not now either. Don't believe for a second he is literally surprised by this.

it will be interesting to see how this special congressional election goes in March. District 18 in PA is steel (and coal) country and voted for Trump by 20 points. But that's not really what the commercials are focusing on. The R is going full blast about the tax cuts and Pelosi, and the D is really tacking a course down the middle, calling for more bipartisanship and new leaders on both sides of the aisle.

He shouldn't feel disappointment, he should feel shame for backing Trump, encouraging people to vote for him.

SHAME!

@drunk_pi: I see we've both reached the point where that claim invokes the same internal response.

You may want to check up on who he is

He was backing Clinton and is also a Canadian.

one thing I have noticed about The Right they always try to justify a bad behavior simply by saying the other side does it to.

They never even try to take an elevated moral position on anything...ever

Not quite sure what you are talking about.

But my post was a correction since he never backed Trump and therefore hardly can feel ashamed for backing someone he didn´t.

Fair enough, misread.

WTF is he doing saying "we" aftering talking about American steelworkers. Though I guess Canada is North America :P

Canadians, do you call yourselves American?

He lives in America but is Canadian. And, is only the 2nd Canadian to be voted foreman for the American steelworkers.

But considering he backed Clinton and not Trump, I'm not sure why he is acting like he would not be disappointed no matter what happened.

Awww...someone's disappointed. Feels.....It happens.

Trump hasn't enacted any policy that addresses the unemployment rate. It's been steadily falling due to his predessor's policies. Deal with it.

Thanks, Obama!

Steelworkers are needed in wind energy. You need steelworkers for those wind turbines. Plus renewable energy is here to stay and we're moving towards that.

Good job in missing the point.

Also, you may want to check experts opinion on a presidents effect on the economy. Most agree that a president's policies are just a small part.

I don't care what the president of the United Steelworkers think. In 2003 Bush broke the law to help the steelworkers with foreign pricing and dumping and to show their gratitude they campaigned against. He was the only president to ever take those steps to help them. Obama tried to put the steel industry out of business but not a peep from them, so scre3w them.

@Jacanuk: You seem to attribute the 0,8 % drop in unemployment to Trump, yet when the answer to that is Trump benefitting from policies enabled by the previous administration you claim that the President has a very little impact on the economy. So what is it?

Never said anything of the kind.

All I am pointing out is that in Januar 2017 the rate was 4.9% and in January 2018 it´s 4.1%. So no matter the reason a dumbo would see that American workers are better off now than at the same time in 2017.

@Jacanuk: He may be referring to his group of workers, i.e. steelworkers.

Perhaps, but even they are better off today than last year, sure it may not be as a steelworker, but they have a higher chance now of finding a new job.

The thing is tho that CNN did not ask him what he meant or present what he said in a journalistic professional way. A good journalist would ask him what he meant and also question his motives.

@Jacanuk: Their pay has increased more than inflation? Better benefits?

Not pay increase.

Just a higher chance of getting employed, should they be so unfortunate and be without one.

@Jacanuk: and according to yourself, maybe not as a steelworker. Hard to claim that steelworkers are better off then. It is rather a general better marked for workers, though perhaps not for steelworkers.

Even if the general marked is better, does not mean a specific submarked is better than before.