The Fight to Protect Jobs and American Manufacturing

Sectors under Attack: Steel, Paper, Tire, Glass and other Commodities

Since the year 2000, the USW has been involved in more than 40 trade cases, not counting some three dozen reviews required to maintain already established tariffs.

This work helps to stem the tide of illegally traded products in the U.S. marketplace, protecting hundreds of thousands of American workers and tens of thousands American companies.

Yet challenges remain. Increasing globalization affords multi-national corporations and government- supported companies opportunities to exploit loopholes and challenge trade laws. In the time between 2001 and the end of 2011, the USW fi led 23 trade cases and participated in 17 reviews.

The battle escalates

Despite our success in presenting cases before the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the International Trade Commission (ITC), our jobs and the viability of American companies are still threatened. To win a trade case we first have to lose jobs and market share, some of which we never get back. That is unacceptable, and America needs new remedies to combat illegal trade.

Between 2012 and the first quarter of 2015, illegally traded goods flooding the U.S. marketplace have already resulted in our involvement in 19 reviews and 17 preliminary and final investigations. No major industry sector is without challenge, and these cases reflect the severity of the problem of global overcapacity.

Other actions

The USW aggressively uses U.S. trade laws to protect jobs threatened by China’s surging imports and predatory trade practices. The USW unilaterally petitioned for protection of U.S. industry under Sections 201, 421 and 301 of the U.S. Foreign Trade Act of 1974.

Anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws are the backbone of U.S. international trade policy. These penalties allow the United States to counter illegally dumped and subsidized imports.

Dumped goods are sold in the United States at less than the cost of production or below the price charged in their domestic market. Subsidized goods are artificially low-priced because foreign countries provide illegal financial support to the manufacturers. When the United States imposes duties on dumped or illegally subsidized imports, the penalties offset the impact of the illegal practices and maintain the principles of fair trade.

The USW spends significant resources combatting illegal trade practices by foreign competitors. This document lists some of the most recent trade cases the USW pursued to level the global playing field and protect American manufacturers and workers. At the heart of these efforts is the fight to enforce existing trade laws. The USW will continue to fight unfair trade practices until American workers have a secure place in the global economy.

Click Here for a list of USW Trade Enforcement Cases July 2011 – March 2015

USW Trade Enforcement Cases July 2011 – March 2015