Pipe workers stress value of US quotas

Dec 16, 2005 | 10:39 AM | Scott Robertson

More than 60 workers from pipe-producing companies joined with company executives, steel industry leaders and congressional officials on Capitol Hill Thursday to demonstrate support for the Section 421 case on standard pipe imports from China.

The workers traveled by bus from Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania for the submission of the final Section 421 report to President Bush. Under the Section 421 statute, the President has 15 days to review the report, which was prepared by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

Roger B. Schagrin, Washington counsel to the U.S. pipe producers, who filed the action earlier this year, said that obtaining significant quota relief for the industry is a necessity. "Without relief, the standard pipe industry will go the way of the ductile water fittings and garment wire hanger industries and will cease to exist in the next year or two as massive Chinese steel overcapacity results in a further flood of imports into the U.S. market," he said.....