AFL-CIO Secy-Treasurer Fred Redmond: Black Workers Being ‘Played’ by Trump’s Economic Games

By Stacy Brown Black Press USA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Stacy Brown Black Press USA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Fred Redmond, the highest-ranking African American in the history of the American labor movement, is sounding the alarm on what he calls a full-scale assault on Black workers under President Donald Trump’s second term.

“Black unemployment has now surged—more than double the national average,” Redmond told Black Press USA. “For Black women in particular, it’s reached its highest level since 2021, and that’s likely to grow.”

Today, Redmond’s first op-ed for BlackPressUSA.com as a new regular contributor was published: “Trump Didn’t Just Fail to Protect Black Jobs. He’s Leading Us to Black Unemployment.”

Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, also spoke today at the A. Philip Randolph Institute’s annual convention in Chicago, where he said the energy of the gathering has fueled his commitment to fight back against what he described as reckless and dangerous policies targeting the working class—especially African  Americans. 

He directly blamed Trump’s continued attacks on federal agencies, noting that government work historically provided a path to the middle class for African Americans, especially Black women. “The attack on federal agencies has really damaged the Black community—with particular emphasis on Black women,” Redmond said, pointing to job losses at HUD, VA hospitals, and other critical institutions.

As for the president’s abrupt firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner, Redmond didn’t mince words. “Numbers don’t lie. This is typical Donald Trump. You don’t like the numbers, so you fire the person who presents the numbers—as opposed to digging into the cause,” Redmond stated.

“The president shot the messenger. He’s trying to justify a failed month of economic policies that aren’t working for average Americans—particularly Black and brown communities who still live under the old paradigm: last hired, first fired.”

Redmond warned that the BLS—used by the labor movement and business community alike—relies on a decades-long methodology to analyze the workforce. If Trump installs someone who manipulates those figures to fit his narrative, Redmond warned, “that could throw the country into a very precarious situation with devastating consequences.”

He said the Trump administration is playing a dangerous game with tariffs, creating widespread uncertainty. “Black men aren’t seeing layoffs reported in manufacturing, but unemployment is at a standstill because companies are refusing to invest in equipment and modernization. They’re reducing shifts and capacity,” he explained.

Redmond pointed out that during the Great Migration, Black workers—particularly women—found economic mobility in manufacturing and government jobs. But with Trump’s unstrategic tariffs and budget-slashing, that pathway is disappearing. “He says we’re saving money through tariffs, but it’s not reflected in the stats or the jobs numbers,” Redmond said. “He’s playing games with people’s lives.”

Redmond made clear the labor movement doesn’t oppose tariffs outright, but they must be applied strategically. “When you just blanketly place tariffs on every good and commodity, that money is paid by the consumer. Corporations aren’t going to eat that cost. That’s a misnomer,” he said. “This is reckless, and it’s going to cost the American public dearly.”

The AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer also emphasized the historic role and ongoing work of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), where he serves as board chair. “Mr. Randolph’s vision was a Black-labor alliance. He believed organized labor’s priorities should reflect those of the Black community—good jobs, retirement security, decent pay, and healthcare,” Redmond said. “He knew that collective bargaining built the Black middle class.”

He praised the leadership of Clayola Brown, APRI President, and noted that its 120-plus chapters are on the ground organizing in Black communities across the country.

And Redmond isn’t just talking—he’s on the move. “We’ve got buses rolling across the country. Last week in Chicago, we stood with workers forced to work under horrendous conditions. We’re headed to Cleveland and Columbus, mobilizing for 2026,” he said.

He added, “Our goal is to make Hakeem Jeffries Speaker of the House, fight for democracy, and rebuild the social contract—by working people, for working people. We must stop this tyranny and stop this president from building an economy for billionaires by billionaires.”

Redmond, who has led the AFL-CIO’s racial justice initiatives and helped shape national labor policy for decades, said he’s working on an op-ed to further expose the administration’s economic failings.

“I’ve spent my entire life fighting for racial justice in the workplace and throughout our communities,” Redmond said. “We’re going to keep fighting—because the stakes have never been higher.”
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