USW Calls U.S. Commerce Anti-Subsidy Duty on Thermal Paper China Imports 'Strong Trade Law

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/usw-calls-us-commerce-anti-subsidy-duty-on-thermal-paper-china,310902.shtml

osted : Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:48:15 GMT

WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) welcomed the U.S. Department of Commerce's decision announced yesterday to impose preliminary countervailing duties on government subsidized imports of lightweight thermal paper (LWTP) from China in a trade case filed by Appleton Papers, Inc. that could affect 1,780 paper workers in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO )

USW President Leo W. Gerard said, "It's essential for the U.S. to hold the Chinese communist government accountable when it cheats on world trade rules by illegally subsidizing its industries - in this case harming the only two American producers of thermal paper. Until we level the playing field through strong trade law enforcement, China will keep cheating and keep stealing American jobs."

Yesterday's determination will apply duties on thermal paper from certain Chinese producers and exporters ranging from 5.68% to 59.5%, with one producer receiving a duty of less than one percent.

Rick Bahr, USW Local 2-469 representing about 900 workers at the Appleton mill in Wisconsin, declared, "We expect our government to stand up and fight back for American paper workers' jobs and send a message to China that they can no longer violate the fair trade laws agreed to after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO)."

He adds, "The future job security of our mill and those at the other Appleton paper plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania will depend on the remaining U.S. investigation process and rulings that uphold the Commerce Dept.'s findings."

Another producer of LWTP, Kanzaki Specialty Papers Co. in Springfield, Ma., has 115 workers represented by USW Local 708, who will also be helped by the ruling.

FULL story at link.

[thunder rising]

1. This is a consolation prize. The BIG items are still status quo.

I mean, come on, thermal paper? What about pace makers, micro waves, LCD screens ..........

[demodonkey]

2. Hmmmm. Thermal paper feeds voting machines, at least the ones with...

...printers and not voter-marked paper ballots.

Hmmmmm.