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Community responds to Trump steel tariffs

Responding to the news that the USA will proceed with plans to impose tariffs on UK steel and aluminium, Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary of Community, the steelworkers’ union, said:

“Steelworkers on both sides of the Atlantic have been let down by their governments. Theresa May talks of a special relationship, but has completely failed to secure any sort of exemption from these tariffs which now threaten British jobs. Meanwhile Donald Trump may well do more harm than good to American manufacturing if a global trade war escalates.

“Trade unions across the world must stand together in opposition to these measures. The problems of steel dumping will not be solved by unfair tariffs, and steelworkers in the UK and USA must not fall into the trap of believing rhetoric from the likes of Donald Trump.

“Community has been campaigning against these tariffs from day one, and will continue to push government and industry at the highest levels to protect the UK’s steel industry, and the highly skilled men and women working within in. The UK Government must support EU safeguards to protect our industry and ensure more dumped steel does not end up on European shores.”

ENDS.

Notes

1. Community is the largest and leading union in the UK steel industry.
2. More information about Community’s campaign against Trump’s Tariffs can be found here: https://community-tu.org/campaigns/stop-trump-tariffs/
3. For more information, contact Callum Munro on cmunro@community-tu.org / 07821250904.