Workers Are On Their Own To Defend American Jobs From Surging Chinese Imports; Americ

Dr Stan · Jul 7, 2009

Here is the opening paragraph:

By Richard A. McCormack
[email protected]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The union representing American tire workers is flying solo in a one of the most important trade cases brought against China in the past decade. In its legal challenge to restrict Chinese tire imports, the United Steelworkers union did not have the backing of U.S. tire producers, almost all of whom are importing tires from China. The Chinese used the absence of any U.S. producer in the International Trade Commission (ITC) case as evidence that Chinese tire imports were not harming the U.S. industry.

For the complete article go to:

http://www.manufacturingnews.com/news/09/0630/421.html

adammil1 · Jul 7, 2009

Interesting article but it begs the question when and why does a product qualify for an import tariff to protect its production here in the USA.

The past 10-20years especially have seen so much traditionally American production move to China. I'm not trying to stir up controversy but am genuinely curious here. When does one's product qualify for protection? How did tires get picked out of the tens of thousands of other types of products that have moved abroad for this lawsuit?

Adam

77ironhead · Jul 7, 2009

adammil1 said:
The past 10-20years especially have seen so much traditionally American production move to China. I'm not trying to stir up controversy but am genuinely curious here. When does one's product qualify for protection? How did tires get picked out of the tens of thousands of other types of products that have moved abroad for this lawsuit?

Adam

Purely speculation on my part, but-

1- I'd be willing to bet that someone found out that their plant was going to be outsourced soon
or
2- pick a relatively small battle using the logic that a small battle might be easier to win, and then use that win as leverage (via setting precedent) to win a bigger battle

Cornilsn · Jul 8, 2009

the other reason is its a unionized industry. Right or wrong they thought Obama was at bat for them, and that this was a good time to make thier move.

Unfortunatly, Obama is at bat for the no-growth segment of the left wing party, and will give little aid to industry or to the unions that feed off them.

Dr Stan · Jul 8, 2009

Cornilsn said:
the other reason is its a unionized industry. Right or wrong they thought Obama was at bat for them, and that this was a good time to make thier move.

Unfortunatly, Obama is at bat for the no-growth segment of the left wing party, and will give little aid to industry or to the unions that feed off them.

An anti-union rant. Wondered how long it would take.

OldRedFord · Jul 8, 2009

Not seeing anything in that post that is anti-union.

Joe D Grinder · Jul 8, 2009

I could GIVE you an anti-union rant if you wanted one, but it looked to me like he was saying that Obama will screw the unions after using them....Joe

metlmunchr · Jul 8, 2009

Stan, you have to wonder if the tire manufacturers might have gone to the union and encouraged them to file the action as one of the lawyers in the case alluded to.

Goodyear, Michelin, and others are producing tires in China, but they're not the ones producing or importing the millions of junk Chinese tires into the US that are at the focus of the union's request.

It does make sense that the manufacturers might not want to get on the wrong side of the Chinese gov't, since they've got hundreds of millions invested there themselves. One or more of the manufacturers could well be footing the union's bill for this since its definitely in the interests of all the manufacturers and their market for tires at the cheaper end of the market.

gmatov · Jul 8, 2009

Read your PepBoys ads and Sears ads and anybody else's ads and they ALL carry Chinese tires. They think they HAVE to. PRICE.

They HAVE to have a CHEAP tire. Problem is that CHEAP is very little less than a US made, or French, Italian, Japanese.

I won't be buying Hankooks or other of the wierd names. I have NO idea how good they may be. Maybe the best in the world, BUT, when you have Exploders rolling over with Uniroyals and other 100 year old US made tires, I don't think I want a new brand on my car.

Kinda shitty that yet ANOTHER US job line might be sent offshore. I guess that is what you should expect when you allow companies to conglomerate so much that they HAVE to go off shore to knock a nickle off each. Should that be agglomerate.

Once, we had dozens of tire makers, as we had dozens of battery makers. NOW, I think, maybe 3 tire makers, and I do believe 3 battery makers.

Look at a tire price chart and ask yourself if agglomeration was good for the consumer.

But then, isn't the rule "Fuck the Consumer?"

Cheers,

George

Dr Stan · Jul 9, 2009

Joe D Grinder said:
I could GIVE you an anti-union rant if you wanted one, but it looked to me like he was saying that Obama will screw the unions after using them....Joe

Is your penchant to repeatedly demonstrate your lack of ethics genetic or behaviorally based?

Metalcutter · Jul 9, 2009

I don't see what the problem is, because I haven't seen any Chinese rubber which didn't disintegrate within a couple of years, whether it was a toilet flaper or a lamp grommet.

Just my observation..

Regards,

Stan-

Dr Stan · Jul 9, 2009

More info on this from Industry Week including a link regarding a lawsuit over defective Chicom tires.

http://forums.industryweek.com/showthread.php?t=6111

ColoradoBoy · Jul 14, 2009

Dr Stan said:
Is your penchant to repeatedly demonstrate your lack of ethics genetic or behaviorally based?

Psychologists have been doing much study on fear driven people and think its' genetic at this point.

Why would our government want to defend against imports when Congress is paid to enjoy the 'free market' via contributions from business?

Dr Stan · Jul 15, 2009

ColoradoBoy said:
Psychologists have been doing much study on fear driven people and think its' genetic at this point.

Yes it’s the Nature v. Nurture debate that has been going on for years. I doubt if it will ever be settled.

jackalope · Jul 15, 2009

Dr. Stan and Colorado boy,

I have noticed a pattern in your responses that I am sure most others have noticed as well. Basically, if people are not in lock step with your beliefs, you attack them at some level :rolleyes5:

Be it intelligence or whatever.

Real classy!!!!

Perhaps if your comments were able to be backed up with factual information, you might be able to refrain from back-handed remarks that bring NOTHING to the debate!.....Just a thought.

Most people on this forum seem to have a relatively high level of intelligence. Perhaps the attacks can go by the wayside and we can agree to disagree instead of attacking each other. I imagine that if we met each other in person, we would have more in common than not.

ions82 · Jul 15, 2009

Oh, man. ANOTHER post about crappy Chinese products. The worst part is, we just put some new tires on the woman's Honda a few days ago. I can't remember the name of the brand, but I have a nagging suspicion that it may be some of the tires that have generated this topic. Rats.

Anyway, it's almost hard for me to read through yet another post that talks about outsourcing. It's depressing. I'm just hoping that Chinese products will take the same turn that Japanese products did in the 20th century. I wasn't even around then, but it appears that they sure made a turn for the better in terms of quality. It would be pretty cool if the U.S. could trade quality products for Chinese products of equal quality. I just turned 30 years old, and I'm skeptical that I'll ever see that happen in my lifetime. Oh well.

Dr Stan · Jul 15, 2009

jackalope said:
Dr. Stan and Colorado boy,

I have noticed a pattern in your responses that I am sure most others have noticed as well. Basically, if people are not in lock step with your beliefs, you attack them at some level Be it intelligence or whatever.

Real classy!!!!

Perhaps if your comments were able to be backed up with factual information, you might be able to refrain from back-handed remarks that bring NOTHING to the debate!.....Just a thought.

Most people on this forum seem to have a relatively high level of intelligence. Perhaps the attacks can go by the wayside and we can agree to disagree instead of attacking each other. I imagine that if we met each other in person, we would have more in common than not.

If you really are interested in addressing personal attacks, then direct your attention to Joe D.

Guest · Jul 15, 2009

We all need to vote with our wallets, Buy American whenever feasible. The job you save might be your own or of a neighbor or relative. Every dollar sent out of the country is a dollar that can't be earned by an American. Cheaper is not always better. My example is the Chinese 6061 aluminum that cost $1.50 a pound or less, I pay $3.00 a pound for USA made
that I can get at $2.00 a pound if I buy 200 pounds. It really is cheaper! I can machine it up to twice as fast and I suffer no tool breakage due to gummy tools! I wish others would not just consider price when making a purchase. I have seen Chinese air hoses rot and explode
in a matter of months, the American Goodyear ones are twice as expensive and worth every penny. I could not imagine someone wanting to risks their own safety, that of their family and other drivers to save a few bucks on a tire that probably won't last as long anyway.

ColoradoBoy · Jul 15, 2009

jackalope said:
Dr. Stan and Colorado boy,

I have noticed a pattern in your responses that I am sure most others have noticed as well. Basically, if people are not in lock step with your beliefs, you attack them at some level Be it intelligence or whatever.

Real classy!!!!

Perhaps if your comments were able to be backed up with factual information, you might be able to refrain from back-handed remarks that bring NOTHING to the debate!.....Just a thought.

Most people on this forum seem to have a relatively high level of intelligence. Perhaps the attacks can go by the wayside and we can agree to disagree instead of attacking each other. I imagine that if we met each other in person, we would have more in common than not.

Lighten up guy. You will smile more!!

morsetaper2 · Jul 15, 2009

While its an extra step to deal with in your tire purchase, you can confirm via the DOT # on any tire whether its a made in USA tire or not. Print out the info, and take it w/ you when you start looking at tires. I did it, and it really isn't that difficult to confirm you are buying made in USA tires...

Union made/Non union made tires... As far as supporting unions, I won't go out of my way to support any of them. My own personal experience w/ unions is that there are good decent productive union workers, but I don't like that unions keep a lot of people employed who really should be fired... I'm a Darwin believer...the strong and the motivated should be the ones to survive.

Mark...who is very happy with his Cooper tires that are 6 mos old.

http://www.usstuff.com/cartires.htm

A thread from Dec that may have info to help you w/ your Made in USA tire purchase...

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/identify-tires-made-usa-171080.html

Workers Are On Their Own To Defend American Jobs From Surging Chinese Imports; Americ

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