Labor & Employment Law

U.S. Jobs Benefit from ITC?s China Pipe Ruling

By Mike Hall

U.S. workers who manufacture steel pipes won an important battle against unfair and government subsidized China-made pipe imports when the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) unanimously ruled in favor of a petition by the United Steelworkers (USW) and eight U.S. steel pipe makers.

USW President Leo Gerard says the Dec. 31 ruling, which will impose playing-field leveling duties on the subsidized China pipe imports,

makes it clear to American pipe workers and industry that the U.S. government will stand up against China’s violation of fair trade rules when domestic job losses and industry injury are clearly demonstrated.

Nearly half of the U.S. workers who make the steel pipes for oil drilling have lost their jobs since 2008. Read more reaction from the USW here and read Gerard’s full testimony before the USITC here.

The decision could be a boon for jobs in steelmaking communities. The Business Journal in Youngstown, Ohio, reports that it is

one of the key components for…V&M Star Steel as it considers whether to move forward with a proposed $970 million expansion project in Youngstown.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who testified at the USITC hearing, told The Associated Press:

This trade relief is critical to protecting the jobs of the Arkansas steel pipe industry. Our workers deserve a fair playing field, free of predatory foreign trade practices that hamper important domestic industries.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on January 04, 2010 (boomark / email).