PITTSBURGH, June 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement today after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted unanimously that imports of certain corrosion-resistant steel products from China, India, Italy, Korea and Taiwan are injuring domestic producers and workers. The ITC's vote follows a unanimous affirmative vote earlier this week that injury had also been inflicted on domestic producers and workers making cold-rolled steel flat products.

A series of five cases have been initiated over the past year on an array of steel products that collectively cover more than 60 percent of domestic production.

"Today's vote extends fairer pricing conditions to corrosion-resistant steel products. Combined with the ITC's vote earlier this week that injury is also being inflicted on producers and workers making cold-rolled products, some much needed relief is in sight. Our efforts are helping as prices are beginning to stabilize, but we need to do more to restore the market and the jobs that have been lost.   

"It's been a long battle -- this petition was filed at the beginning of last June -- and we still face massive subsidies and the dumping of other products. Pipe and tube producers and workers are suffering. China's overcapacity in steel, aluminum and many other products continues to damage world markets and undermine jobs and wages.

"While we will persist in fighting for every job, a comprehensive approach is what is really required. Winning a trade case means we have to 'lose' first. This means we have to experience injury in the form of lost jobs and shuttered facilities to qualify for relief. Unfortunately, many lives are shattered in the process. Enforcing the rules is largely left to the private sector companies and the union representing the workers experiencing injury. Too often these parties lack the resources necessary to pursue these kinds of trade cases. This, too, needs to change."

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/.

CONTACT: Holly Hart (202) 778-4384
hhart@usw.org

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)