Contact: Wayne Ranick (412) 562-2444, wranick@usw.org
Leeann Foster (412) 562-2282, lfoster@usw.org
(Pittsburgh) -- The United Steelworkers (USW) issued the following statement as the Commerce Department yesterday released their determination of the final margins in the uncoated paper cases filed by the union and four companies. The action follows last week’s injury hearing at U.S. International Trade Commission, which will soon decide whether sufficient injury has occurred so as to trigger the imposition of tariffs as provided for under U.S. laws against unfair trade.
“Yesterday’s announcement of antidumping margins ranging up to 222.46 percent and subsidy margins of up to 176.75 percent clearly validates our allegations about the predatory trade practices that we and four producers have been fighting,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.
“Foreign dumping and subsidies have decimated the industry and cost too many breadwinners their jobs. Time and time again competitors have targeted our industry, but the USW continues to fight for every last job.”
This case covered certain uncoated paper, the matte-finish sheet type typically used in copy machines. The USW was joined by four U.S. paper companies in asking that our laws against unfair trade help restore an orderly market against unfairly traded imports from China, Indonesia, Brazil, Portugal and Australia. The four companies were Packaging Corporation of America, Domtar, Finch Paper and P.H. Glatfelter Company.
Dumping occurs when a product is sold here at a price below what it costs to produce or what it is sold for in the home country. The cases alleged sought penalties to be imposed on imports of this paper from China and Indonesia because of illegal government subsidies.
“Our competitors have chosen to use unfair trade as an instrument of economic development policy,” said USW International Vice President Jon Geenen. “They dump and subsidize their exports to help maintain production and employment in their own country while jeopardizing jobs across sector after sector.
“Workers in the paper sector work hard and play by the rules and deserve a fair chance to compete. This case will help to restore fair trade conditions. But, while our union will never back down, it’s time for our government to take the lead.
“Unfairly traded imports since 2012 have seriously injured our domestic industry and its workers. Eight uncoated mills have closed or shut down machines costing thousands of jobs. The direct cost is unacceptable but we can’t forget the injury that has been inflicted on families, friends and communities. And the toll keeps mounting.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors. For more information: http://www.usw.org/.
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