USW Fight for Domestic Jobs Continues

CONTACT: Holly Hart, (202)778-4384, hhart@usw.org

(Pittsburgh) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard released the following statement today after the Department of Commerce (DOC) announced last evening its final determinations in the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of imports of corrosion-resistant steel products from China, India, Italy, Korea and Taiwan.  

Additional efforts this week included the USW testifying before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in final injury hearings on imports of cold-rolled steel flat products from eight countries and corrosion-resistant steel products from five.

“Yesterday’s decision cements in place that unfairly traded corrosion-resistant steel products from China, Korea and a number of other countries have been illegally entering the US market.

“It’s been a long haul for our members, many of whom lost their jobs or had their future employment threatened by these predatory trade practices. But this is not the end of the road as it should be. Our members and their companies must now wait to learn if, under U.S. trade laws, they have been injured enough for them to get the relief to which the DOC says they are entitled. 

“The U.S. steel sector, along with many others, is under attack. Every day we use every available tool in our fight against unfair trade, while our government’s negotiators try to talk away the problems. This approach has not worked, and it is time for them to admit that a comprehensive, long-term solution is needed.

“Every week it seems we are testifying about the injury that has been inflicted on our members by unfair trade. Just this week, we testified about the damage caused by unfairly traded imports of cold-rolled steel flat products and the corrosion-resistant steel products covered by the most recent Department of Commerce finding.

“Trade cases provide relief, but they are not successes, as a win often comes only after proving how much injury has occurred. There is a reason why the public is making clear in this year’s presidential race how sick and tired they are of our current trade policies.

“We’ll never give up the fight for every last job. Americans work hard and play by the rules. They deserve a fair chance to compete, a decent standard of living and a safe and secure retirement. Today’s trade policies are undermining these opportunities.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in a wide range of industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.

 

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