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Season 6, Episode 85

Buffenbarger talks shipbuilding, tariffs and worker safety

IAM gray

 

Guest Name:


Tom Buffenbarger

Guest Website:


Machinists Union  

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Tom Buffenbarger, former International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the impact of tariffs on the economy, challenges in the shipbuilding industry and the importance of maintaining worker safety standards.

Buffenbarger shared his opinion on possible adverse effects of tariffs on the U.S. economy, particularly in the transportation sector. He noted a decline in airline bookings and a reduction in freight movement, with locomotives being mothballed due to decreased demand. These trends signal potential economic challenges, as tariffs push companies to relocate manufacturing overseas, affecting jobs and market stability in the U.S., he believes.

He also spoke about the shipbuilding industry's struggles, which he said have been exacerbated by international competition, particularly from China. Buffenbarger expressed concern over the allocation of U.S. defense funds to foreign nations like Australia for shipbuilding projects. This decision diverts potential jobs from American workers, undermining domestic capabilities and the industry's growth.

Buffenbarger acknowledged that yesterday was Workers’ Memorial Day and emphasized the critical role of OSHA in ensuring workplace safety. He recalled the tragic loss of eight IAM members on 9/11. Buffenbarger then criticized recent calls to dismantle OSHA, arguing that such measures would endanger workers' lives. The reduction in workplace fatalities since OSHA's inception underscores its importance in protecting American workers, he said.

Listen to the full episode to gain deeper insights into these critical labor issues.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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