News From USW: USW Joins Titan Tire in Trade Case Against China Imports

[Omaha Steve]

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070619005948&newsLang=en

June 19, 2007 10:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time
News From USW: USW Joins Titan Tire in Trade Case Against China Imports

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News From USW: The United Steelworkers (USW) has joined Titan Tire Corp. as a co-petitioner in a trade case petition filed yesterday with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission, citing China imports of off-the-road (OTR) tires as being dumped and subsidized.

The USW and Titan Tire seek to have the government impose duties to off-set unfair Chinese imports of off highway tires produced for use on vehicles and equipment in agricultural construction and industrial applications. According to the petition, China imports have increased from 11.2 million tires worth $166.35 million in 2004 to nearly 15 million tires worth $374.25 million in 2006.

China is the single largest source of imports of OTR tires, accounting for more than 83 percent of total imports by volume in 2006.

USW President Leo W. Gerard said, “We are seeing the predatory policies of China chopping away at our domestic tire manufacturing industry. It’s urgent that we fight for aggressive enforcement of our nation’s trade laws before it’s too late and we see more family-supportive jobs lost to China subsidization and unfair dumping.”

China imports are significantly underselling U.S. produced OTR tires. Based on a comparison of Chinese and U.S. prices in the petition, the underselling averaged 29 percent. A second comparison shows underselling margins ranging from two to 30 percent. U.S. producers such as co-petitioner Titan Tire have lost significant sales and revenue to such low-priced imports.

Steve Vanderheyden, USW Local 745 president representing workers employed at Titan Tire’s plant in Freeport, Ill., said: “We’ve seen how difficult it is to compete with tire imports subsidized by China. The impact on our job security and communities require a more level playing field.”

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[madrchsod]

1. that`s the old kelly-springfield plant...been up there for years..

the congressional rep is a very conservative republican who`s district has lost jobs and population over the last few years. freeport has a negative population growth over the last 5 yrs. if this plant goes it will really cripple freeport and the surrounding area.

that plant pays good wages and benefits dam i really hope they do`t close..fuck the chinese dumpers