U.S. Steel, USW and Sen. Casey rap Obama over trade and China
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The United Steelworkers union and U.S. Steel Wednesday joined U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., in urging President Barack Obama to take a stronger stand against China for manipulating its currency and pursuing other policies that hurt U.S. workers.
Their joint news conference at USW headquarters Downtown coincided with Chinese President Hu Jintao's U.S. visit.
The union and U.S. Steel complained bitterly about the Obama administration's weak action against the Chinese during the president's first two years in the White House.
They made clear that their agenda remained the same during the last two years of his term.
"I think we're already in a trade war [with China]. We're just not fighting back," USW President Leo Gerard said.
Sen. Casey faulted the administration for not taking action under existing law, but expressed confidence Mr. Obama could be persuaded "to be much stronger on this."
"The time for talk is over. The time for action is now," Sen. Casey said.
Their biggest concern is China's undervalued currency that makes China's exports to the United States cheaper, fueling a massive U.S. trade deficit and costing U.S. workers their jobs. Sen. Casey estimated China's currency was undervalued by 25 to 40 percent.
The Obama administration has favored a policy of engagement with China rather than confrontation over these issues.
That prompted critics in Congress to sponsor legislation that would have punished China for artificially devaluing its currency. The proposal was not approved last year, but Sen. Casey said a similar proposal would be introduced this month and had bipartisan support.
Mr. Gerard said the Obama administration had done a better job of enforcing existing trade laws than any White House over the last 20 years. He cited U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk's decision in October to investigate allegations by the USW that massive subsidies China provides to solar, wind and other green energy industries violate trade law and threaten U.S. jobs and manufacturing.
U.S. Steel senior vice president Michael S. Williams also spoke at the news conference.
First Published January 20, 2011 12:00 am
