The USW said today’s vote to affirm continued duties on tin-coated steel imports from Japan is recognition of the vulnerability that still exists for American steelworkers whose jobs depend on fair trade for steel products covered by duty orders.

“We appreciate the 6-0 unanimous vote of the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that sends a strong message for support of the domestic tin mill industry and the current anti-dumping order on imports from Japan,” USW President Leo W. Gerard said. The major domestic tin-coated steel producers employing USW members are: ArcelorMittal, U.S. Steel Corp., USS-Posco Industries, R-G Steel Corp., and Ohio Coatings Co.

Gerard said testimony by the domestic steel companies and the USW at last month’s five-year sunset review hearing presented a good case on the incentives for Japanese mills to ship significant volumes to the U.S. “If the duties were allowed to expire, a flood of tin sheet imports would have quickly depressed fair prices, putting at risk the jobs of 3,000 USW-represented steelworkers and the American industry ... more