The United Steelworkers (USW) said today’s order by the U.S. Department of Commerce for proposed anti-dumping tariffs on China pipe imports known as oil country tubular goods (OCTG) sent an overdue message for thousands of American laid-off workers: trade laws are being enforced.

According to documents, the OCTG trade case is the largest in U.S. history against China imports valued at $2.6 billion in 2008. The U.S. government order confirms overall, China’s practice of dumping OCTG. This is the fifth pipe and tube products dumping case since June 2007.

USW President Leo W. Gerard cited today’s Commerce Dept. anti-dumping margins for OCTG China exporters as promising to U.S. producers with nearly half its work force on layoff status caused by the huge inventory of dumped China pipe imports. “China’s government and exporters are being told we are fed up with their cheating on our fair trade laws and penalties for these transgressions are long overdue ... more