This Story is by Danny White, a welder with Blount International.
As a welder, it’s not all that often you get asked to appear in video that’s going to be seen by over 138,000 viewers. Or that it would win an award.
But that’s what happened when I worked with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers on a video meant to send a message to lawmakers in Washington about the real impact of steel tariffs.
And as a welder at Blount International, I help make all sorts of agricultural attachments like mowers and rotary cutters. Blount also employs assemblers, machine operators, tool builders and of course, design engineers, manufacturing engineers and many others.
Our jobs are the good American jobs that elected officials always love – and jobs everyone agrees are important to our economy.
That’s why I knew it would be a good opportunity to take part in the video. Our management team does a good job of sharing “state of the business” information with us, so we’re always aware of how well we’re doing and what’s ahead. We know that pro-growth trade policies are what keeps the U.S. equipment manufacturing industry strong and workers like me employed. And billions of dollars in tariffs like the ones currently in place on steel, aluminum, and a lot more, threatens to take away jobs like mine.
It’s why I was ready and willing to speak up about the tariffs.
I’ve always been a supporter of creating more jobs in the U.S. I hate the fact that products are made cheaper and better elsewhere and we do need to get American manufacturing back to producing the best quality at the best price. But when it comes to tariffs, I see the good and the bad in the stance our government is taking, but we need to do something to make sure there are good jobs for me, my kids, and their kids.
In the end, being in the video was just one way I plan on staying involved. Moving forward, with the help of my co-workers, we’re going to continue to stay informed (including by signing up at www.imakeamerica.org) and speak up so that Washington knows what we need to keep doing good work. Work that keeps our nation strong and our economy growing.
