Contact: Tony Montana – (412) 562-2592 or tmontana@usw.org
PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers (USW) today issued the following statement from International President David McCall after Cleveland-Cliffs announced an indefinite idling of operations at its Weirton tin plate facility:
“Weirton Steelworkers can compete with anyone on a level playing field, but the ITC’s recent negative determination continues to leave our markets vulnerable to foreign dumping.
“The current market for tin mill products has already been decimated by over 50 percent penetration of illegally dumped foreign tinplate. Now, with the idling of tinplate production in Weirton, unfair trade is one step closer to choking out our domestic industry entirely.
“The short-term thinking of American tinplate consumers, who sided with the foreign cheaters to oppose our petition, will eventually lead to long-term regrets.
“It should be obvious that foreign suppliers are destroying our domestic supply chain so that American consumers of tin mill products become dependent on foreign producers and have no options when their subsidized and dumped products are no longer available at cheap prices.
“The USW will work with Cleveland-Cliffs to provide as many options to our members as possible, as well as continue our fight against the unfair trade practices that continue to cost good, community-sustaining jobs and threaten our economy.”
The USW (www.usw.org) represents 850,000 workers employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.