USW pleased with Commerce antidumping finding on Chinese tires

WASHINGTON (Jan. 22, 2015) — Officials of the United Steelworkers (USW) union commended the U.S. Commerce Department's International Trade Administration for finding evidence of dumping by Chinese manufacturers and importers of passenger and light truck tires.

“This second decision in two months by (Commerce) confirms our belief that Chinese tire producers engage in massive unfair trade practices,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.

Commerce released a preliminary determination Jan. 21 finding that Chinese tire manufacturers and exporters were dumping their products in the U.S. at rates ranging from 19.17 to 87.99 percent.

Two months earlier, on Nov. 24, the agency found preliminarily that the Chinese government was subsidizing Chinese export tire production at rates averaging 15.29 percent. Later, it revised that estimate downward to 12.03 percent.

“Such practices are far too common with China and cost U.S. workers thousands of family-supportive jobs,” Mr. Gerard said. “American workers should hot have to compete against illegally traded goods.”

The USW filed petitions in June 2014 with the International Trade Commission, requesting countervailing and antidumping duties against Chinese tire makers under Sections 701 and 731 of the Trade Act.

“After we filed our petitions, the Chinese producers increased the flood of tires into our market to try to escape any additional duties on those tires,” said Tom Conway, USW International vice president and chair of the union's Goodyear bargaining committee.

“It is possible that any duties that do become final may also apply to those tires that entered over the last three months.”

Commerce is expected to make its final rulings on countervailing duties April 6 and on antidumping duties June 12.

Tires with specialty tire (ST) designations are exempt from this action, as are racing tires, temporary spares, off-road tires and other tires as designated in the Commerce fact sheet.