Jobs at America’s Biggest Port Cut in Half Due to Trade Tensions 😲

Hey there! Did you know that the Port of Los Angeles is the biggest port in the United States? It’s like a giant doorway where ships bring in goods from other countries. But lately, something not-so-great has happened.

Because of trade tensions (that’s when countries aren’t getting along very well in trading things), the number of jobs at the port has gone down by half! 😱 That means fewer people are working to load and unload ships.

In the last 25 work shifts, only 733 jobs were available for 1,575 workers who wanted to work. That’s like having only half the number of seats on a school bus for all the kids who need a ride.

Gene Seroka, the executive director (that’s like the big boss) of the Port of Los Angeles, said that the port handled 25% less cargo (the stuff on ships) than they expected in May.

“They haven’t been laid off, but they’re not working nearly as much as they did before,” Seroka said. This means people still have their jobs, but they’re not getting as much work time.

Why is this happening? Because of tariffs. Tariffs are extra taxes countries put on things they import from other countries. When the United States added tariffs on goods from places like the Asia-Pacific region, it made trading harder.

The Port of Los Angeles has been the biggest container port in the U.S. every year since 2000! In California alone, nearly 1 million jobs are related to trade through the port. So when the port slows down, it can affect a lot of people.

Let’s hope things get better soon so the port workers can get back to their jobs, and the goods can keep on moving! 🚢🌊

Reference(s):

Media: Jobs at largest U.S. port down by half amid tariff tensions

cgtn.com