US union calls for probe into tire imports amid declining domestic industry

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – The United Steelworkers (USW) has called on the US government to launch an investigation into tire imports, citing declining domestic production and a series of recent plant closures.

In a letter to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer published 14 Sept, the union called for an investigation under Section 201 of the Trade Act.

Section 201 allows the US government to investigate whether increased imports are causing, or threatening to cause, serious injury to a domestic industry.

According to USW, US tire production has declined by roughly 40% since 2000.

Furthermore, nine US tire plants have announced closures over the past two years, resulting in the loss of more than 7,000 jobs, it added.

“The domestic tire industry is in crisis,” said USW international president Roxanne Brown, adding, “this is not localised to a single part of the country or a certain product.”

“These devastating losses are widespread and require immediate attention so that we can rebuild production.”

USW said the decline in domestic market share had coincided with rapid capacity expansion in countries including China.

The union estimated China's overall tire production capacity at more than 1 billion units and said producers there were targeting the US market.

“This surge in imports threatens our economic and national security,” said Brown, adding that the impact extended beyond transportation to industrial, mining and agricultural operations.

“We call on USTR to institute measures that will help strengthen the domestic industry,” she added.

USW called on the administration to prioritise workers and manufacturing communities as it seeks to stem further losses in US tire production and employment.