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U.S. Passenger Vehicle and Light Tire (PVLT) workers face constant challenges from unfairly traded tire imports

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May 26, 2021

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Press Releases

WASHINGTON DC – Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) urge the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to join with American workers and fully and fairly enforce the laws US on trade remedies. In a bipartisan letter to the ITC, Portman and Brown urged their colleagues to pressure the ITC to give full and fair consideration to the United Steelworkers’ petitions in these affected import cases. ‘unfair trade. Portman and Brown led the letter with Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Todd Young (R-IN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA ), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

“US trade remedy laws are designed to provide relief to US businesses and their workers when they are plagued by unfairly traded imports. We urge you to fully and fairly consider Steelworkers Union petitions in these cases and to ensure that U.S. trade remedy laws are fully enforced. “ wrote the senators.

For years, the United Steelworkers at tire companies like Cooper Tire in Findlay, Ohio, have found themselves at a severe competitive disadvantage due to unfairly traded foreign imports. The United Steelworkers’ trade petitions seek relief for their tire industry members to ensure that the US tire industry can compete on a level playing field.

The senators’ letter follows their recent introduction of an amendment, the Equal Opportunities Act 2.0, to the bill that the Senate is currently considering calling the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (formerly called the Endless Frontier Law). This amendment is identical to legislation introduced by Portman and Brown earlier this month to strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws and ensure they remain effective tools in combating unfair trade practices and protecting workers at companies from tires like Cooper Tire and across the country. the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act is a bipartisan bill aimed at advancing U.S. technological research, creating jobs, and improving economic and national security in order to counter China’s economic and political ambitions.

Senators Portman and Brown at the start introduced the Equal Opportunities Act 2.0 in April as a stand-alone piece of legislation. This legislation is based on the Equal Opportunities Act, a bill sign promulgated by former President Obama in 2015, which gives American businesses new tools to fight unfair trade practices.

The full text of the letter is available here and below:

The Honorable Jason Kearns

President

United States International Trade Commission

500 E Street, SW

Washington, DC 20436

Subject: Tires for passenger vehicles and light trucks (PVLT) from Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, inv. Nos 701-TA-647 and 731-TA-1517-1520 (Final)

Dear President Kearns:

We are writing on behalf of the US passenger vehicle and light tire (PVLT) manufacturers and their workers who face constant challenges with unfairly traded tire imports in the cases mentioned above and reiterate our support for rigorous enforcement of US trade remedy laws.

The US tire industry has been marked by unfair trade from foreign competitors for years. In 2009, President Obama imposed Section 421 tariffs on Chinese tire imports to combat the systemic dumping of tires in the US market. After the tariffs expired, the tire-producing members of the USW again faced unfair competition, and the union filed anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duty petitions in 2014. Anti-dumping and countervailing orders have since been in force on certain Chinese imports of PVLT. Unfortunately, other foreign competitors resort to unfair practices to gain market share in the United States, while Chinese tire imports are subject to additional duties. As a result, the United Steelworkers union recently filed anti-dumping and CVD petitions against tire manufacturers in Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

U.S. trade remedy laws aim to provide relief to U.S. businesses and their workers when they are plagued by unfairly traded imports. We urge you to give full and fair consideration to USW petitions in these cases and to ensure that US trade remedy laws are fully enforced.

Truly,

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