Steel Trade Campaign Launched
For Immediate Release
Public Relations Division
Public Affairs Department
1170 Eighth Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18016-7699
(610) 694-3711 - Phone
(610) 694-1509 - Fax
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 10, 1998 -- "Stand Up For Steel" a coalition of the United Steelworkers of America AFL-CIO/CLC and leading domestic steel producers, has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign about the flood of unfairly traded and injurious steel imports from foreign countries and its impact on the American steel industry. The "Stand Up For Steel" coalition today demanded that the government intervene in this growing crisis.
Japanese, Russian and other foreign steel companies are unable to sell their excess capacity products at home. These foreign steel producers are dumping their products on the U.S. market by selling at prices less than their cost and below those in their home markets. This trade practice is both unfair and illegal under U. S. laws and international codes. As a result, this growing steel import crisis is causing injury to domestic steel companies and is threatening the jobs of American steelworkers.
With foreign steel tonnage pouring into America at cutthroat prices every day, the "Stand Up For Steel" coalition is calling on the Clinton Administration and other political leaders to take action to halt unfair steel imports from Russia, Asia and other foreign countries. The coalition includes the United Steelworkers of America and the nation's three largest integrated steel manufacturers - Bethlehem Steel Corporation of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; LTV Steel Company of Cleveland; and USX Corporation of Pittsburgh. Other steel companies are joining the "Stand Up For Steel" coalition as well.
Steel imports in May 1998 increased 28.5 percent from their level the previous year. Through June 1998, imports from Japan were up 113.7 percent, while imports from Korea rose 89.5 percent.
"The dumping of steel on the U.S. market by foreign competitors poses an extraordinary threat to Americans who work hard to earn a living in the steel industry," says George Becker, international president of the United Steelworkers of America. "We are asking our lawmakers to join us in demanding that the government do whatever it takes to safeguard the American steel industry, its employees and their communities."
"Our current trade laws did not anticipate the level of economic collapse that is taking place in many foreign countries today," says Becker. "This is an extraordinary situation - and it deserves an extraordinary response from our government to keep a foreign economic crisis from becoming a crisis for the U.S. steel industry and other strategically important American industries."
"Stand Up For Steel" is urging federal and state officials and political candidates to sign a pledge to American business and workers to "hold foreign steel companies accountable for their improper and injurious action and other unfair practices responsible for the glut of foreign steel now flooding the U.S. market."
"One of the coalition's objectives is to bring the growing crisis of unfair steel imports - and the potential threat to other American industries - to the attention of our national policy makers. We appeared before the House and Senate Steel Caucuses this morning and outlined six specific actions - actions that the private sector is taking as well as recommended actions to be taken by the public sector," says Curtis H. (Hank) Barnette, chairman and chief executive officer of Bethlehem Steel.
The "Stand Up For Steel" campaign, to be conducted between Labor Day and Election Day, began this morning with a briefing to Steel Caucus members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, a press conference announcing the campaign and advertisements in national media outlets. The campaign will continue until November with rallies and other activities taking place in key districts around the country.
Ironically, this latest threat to the American steel industry comes on the heels of its transformation following the steel crisis of the 1980s. Since that time, the U.S. steel industry has restructured and invested billions in technology to become the most cost-efficient supplier to the domestic market.
"The American steel industry is truly a success story," says Peter Kelly, president and chief executive officer of LTV Corporation. "Once in decline, we now efficiently produce the highest quality and lowest cost steel in the world. We can compete and win under a fair global trade environment, but only if we ensure a level playing field."
"The U.S. steel industry is just the front line of what will be a growing number of U.S. industries lining up to defend themselves against unfair foreign steel dumping, unless we take action quickly," says Paul J. Wilhelm, president of the US Steel Group of the USX Corporation.
Stand Up For Steel is a coalition of the hardworking men and women of the United Steelworkers of America AFL-CIO/CLC and the leading American steel companies.