USW Statement on President Obama's Dominating Third Debate

American workers heard this President stand up for them on economic security

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leo W. Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers (USW) issued the following statement today on President Obama's third debate performance in Boca Raton, Florida, at Lynn University.

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"President Obama stood up for American workers' jobs and economic security. He is the strong Commander-in-Chief for national security versus Governor Romney, who was uncertain, reckless and wrong. The President was consistent on the facts and clearly listens to the voices of our nation's workers.

"The President correctly argued his leadership brought back the auto sector, keeping other basic industrial sectors with good jobs in steel, glass and rubber strong. The President addressed trade law enforcement as a jobs issue, supported defense industry jobs in a strong military of aircraft carriers and atomic submarines that our Steelworkers build.

"As a union representing workers in the manufacturing, energy and service sectors, most feel deceit and distrust for Governor Romney's views. We proudly stand with our nation's President as the better candidate deserving re-election for a second term.

"The President pushed back forcibly on Romney's record at Bain Capital as a pioneer in outsourcing jobs to China, for his public statements to let Detroit go bankrupt, and the deceit of being tougher on trade while profiting on Chinese investments that exploit American workers.

"Obama said in the debate that China must play by the same rules on trade as everyone else. He described his administration's trade task force as going after cheaters like China on international trade. The President clearly puts workers first by stating he has brought more than twice as many cases against China for violating trade rules in four years than the previous administration had done in two terms – winning every case filed.

"In the debate, the President cited how steelworkers in Ohio and Pennsylvania are now in a position to sell steel to China following a steel case just won by his administration before the WTO. Obama also defended the USW tire case he implemented to stop cheap Chinese tire imports that were flooding our market, saving more than a thousand American jobs.

"We ramped up the volume on our TVs when the President pointed out that Governor Romney had criticized him for being too protectionist. But our tire workers know Obama's trade law enforcement is economic security for American workers."

Contact: Gary Hubbard, 202-778-4384; 202-256-8125; [email protected] 
Wayne Ranick, 412-562-2442; 412-901-8442; [email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)