USW: International Trade Commission Votes to Move Forward on Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tire Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Case against China

PITTSBURGH, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) released the following statement today after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted to proceed on the USW's antidumping and countervailing duty petitions against passenger vehicle and light truck tire imports from China.  

The ITC's vote comes a week after the Department of Commerce (DOC) initiated an investigation on imports of these products per the USW petitions. The petitions identified dumping margins as high as 87.99 percent and provided sufficient information to initiate an investigation on 39 separate subsidies available to tire producers in China.

"Today's decision by the ITC to proceed on the Steelworkers' petitions seeking relief from unfairly traded Chinese tires is critical to the thousands of workers in this industry," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "The ITC's preliminary determination is a vital step on the path to restoring fair trade in passenger vehicle and light truck tires.

"President Obama in 2009 responded to a case filed by the USW and provided relief under a different section of our trade laws to stop a flood of these tires from China. That action helped stabilize the industry for the three years that relief was in place.  But as soon as the safeguard ended, China once again targeted the U.S. market, attacking the jobs of U.S. workers.  Massive dumping and subsidization of tires began to capture market share here in the United States."

USW International Secretary-Treasurer Stan Johnson said that "while relief was in place, billions of dollars in investments were made by firms producing tires in the United States in new plant and equipment. But, China's targeting of our industry has injured our members. They work hard and play by the rules and all they want is a fair chance to compete.  They deserve to have our nation's trade laws aggressively and faithfully enforced."

Tom Conway, USW International Vice President added, "China's leaders aren't interested in following the rules of international trade – they're only interested in a win-at-any-cost, play-by-any-rules trade policy. The USW plays by the rules, but when other countries thumb their noses at fair play and cheat, our primary recourse is to pursue lengthy, expensive and sometimes uncertain processes to restore fairness and save our jobs. In essence, the only way we win is by losing: We have to lose jobs before we can act, and by the time relief is provided, if it even is, we're faced with digging out of a hole."

"The USW has brought or participated in more trade cases than any single entity. That is not a badge of honor," said Gerard. "It's a sign that our trade laws are in need of dramatic reform.

"We're waging a fight against unfair trade based on rules that are more than a quarter century old, while our competitors target industry after industry. Things must change. Workers, and America, can't afford much more of this."

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.  For more information: http://www.usw.org/.

CONTACTS:
Gary Hubbard (202) 256-8125
[email protected]

Wayne Ranick (412) 562-2444
[email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)