Michigan has experienced substantial trade-related job losses in recent years, according to a new report. U.S. Labor Department data shows Michigan suffered a 211% increase in jobs lost to offshoring between 2017 and 2019 compared with the three years prior. Denise Bailey is a local organizer with the Trade Justice Education Fund, which analyzed the data. She says Michigan also experienced a 308% increase in trade-related job losses in 2019 over 2018.
“Michigan actually had the second highest number of job losses in the U.S., only trailing California. It goes contrary to what we’ve been hearing from the (Trump) administration about ending offshoring. The data is not reflecting that. We’re actually seeing an increase in Michigan.”
While the reasons behind the trade-related job losses vary, Bailey says policies like the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017” and the last January’s China trade deal are creating incentives and safeguards for corporations to move production abroad.
