Steelworkers like Bryan Wood are in danger of losing their jobs because of predatory pricing by South Korea. Workers have already been laid off in an Ohio steel plant and will soon lose their jobs in Pennsylvania and Texas.
Wood, a 17-year resident of Lone Star, has deep roots in a community which could be harmed by the loss of the steel plant there. "We want this facility to thrive," he said. "Goodpaying jobs help a community to thrive."
He added:
Quality, quality, quality product is what leaves this facility, and you can't get that overseas.The Alliance for American Manufacturing held a rally to stanch the bleeding of steelworker jobs on June 2, 2014 at the U. S. Steel Corp. in Lone Star, Texas. The AAM explains:
...a preliminary ruling by the Commerce Department had determined that eight countries are dumping OCTG pipe in the U.S. at below fair-market value. Notably absent, however, in the Commerce Department analysis was any finding of wrongdoing by South Korea, the primary source of imported OCTG products. With no market of its own, South Korea exports nearly all of its OCTG production – often at well-below market prices – to the United States.The AAM is urging Commerce Department Secretary Penny Pritzker to investigate the accuracy of the South Korean used to conclude the country's steel plants aren't dumping.
The Teamsters have joined the U.S. Steelworkers in lobbying the Commerce Department to stop South Korea's dumping.
U.S. Steel laid off 108 workers at Lorain Tubular Operations in February, according to the Chronicle-Telegram. Pennsylvania steelworkers are losing their jobs in McKeesport, and Texas steelworkers are losing their jobs with the idling of plants in Bellville.
Another rally will be held today at a steel plant in Fairfield, Ala. Follow the action on Twitter on the #sosjobs hashtag.
