Chaos from tariffs forces Mack Trucks to lay off up to 350 workers in Macungie

Communities pay the price as Trump administration's reckless trade policy hurts workers

Rep. Josh Siegel April 17, 2025 | 4:20 PM

ALLENTOWN, April 17 – State Rep. Josh Siegel released the following statement after the announcement that Mack Trucks is laying off between 250 and 350 workers at its Macungie facility, a devastating blow to Lehigh Valley workers and a clear signal of the dangerous economic instability being fueled by the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff policies:

“Once again, American workers are being sacrificed at the altar of political theater. The tariffs — erratic, broad and poorly targeted — are crushing core U.S. industries like trucking and manufacturing. Supply chains are snarled, costs are soaring, and confidence among employers is collapsing. Communities like the Lehigh Valley, built on generations of hard work and industrial pride, are now being asked to carry the burden of this administration’s incompetence. These are good-paying union jobs that our community cannot afford to lose,” said Siegel.

“These 350 workers are not just numbers — they are parents, neighbors, veterans and skilled tradespeople who built America’s backbone. And they deserve better.

“It’s time for real leadership. I’m calling on Ryan Mackenzie who joined Mack UAW workers on strike during his congressional campaign and who has made a career of pretending to stand for workers despite consistently voting against them, to act — now. It’s urgent that Rep. Mackenzie along with Senators Fetterman and McCormick take back Congress’s constitutional authority on trade and end this economic sabotage before more livelihoods are lost. Standing by silently while working families suffer is unacceptable; they must protect Lehigh Valley workers.”

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