President Obama Goes to Bat for Steelworkers

Defends domestic tire makers from illegal Chinese trade practices

Responding to pleas for relief from the United Steelworkers union and for the strict enforcement of our trade agreements, President Obama slapped tariffs on imported Chinese tires on September 11, 2009.

The move came in response to a complaint filed by the USW with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The U.S. ITC had previously found that huge imports of Chinese made tires for the consumer market were "leading to growing job losses, market disruption and the erosion of a segment of our manufacturing base."

Thousands of North Carolinians work in the consumer tire industry, including over two thousand at the Goodyear Tire plant in Fayetteville, NC, alone.

"The President's action today provides for 3 years of relief with tariffs of 35% the first year, 30% the second and 25% in the third year" to give the domestic industry breathing room, according to a press release by the USW.

"For far too long, workers across this country have been victimized by bad trade policies and government inaction. Today, President Obama made clear that he will enforce America's trade laws and stand with American workers."

-- USW International President Leo W. Gerard

More information on the case is available on the Steelworkers' web site at www.usw.org/tires/.