The Retread Instead coalition is focusing on ways to encourage the Trump administration to fill three vacancies on the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).
The coalition wants the vacancies filled before a possible ruling by the United States Court of International Trade on an appeal to the ITC’s 2017 decision not to impose tariffs on truck and bus tires made in China. The appeal was filed by the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW).
Retread Instead identified more participation in a letter writing campaign, which it launched in January 2018, as a way to educate and inform all U.S. senators of the urgency of making sure that the ITC at all times has a full complement of commissioners to ensure fair and balanced determinations.
Retread Instead says hundreds of letters have been sent to U.S. senators so far.
With three ITC commissioner slots to be filled, Retread Instead invited several industry leaders to a planning meeting to gain support and resources to supercharge the letter writing campaign.
Marangoni Tread hosted the meeting at its North American headquarters in Madison, Tenn. The meeting was attended by representatives from Premier Rubber Co, Tech International LLC, McGriff Treading Co., Cross Dillon Tire, Marangoni Tread North America Inc., Pomp’s Tire Service Inc. and Accella Corp.
The agenda covered U.S. administration trade policy, website recommendations, update on Europe’s progress in getting Chinese tires stopped and the need to rapidly expand the scope of support for the letter writing campaign as soon as possible.
“The meeting was a success and a unanimous decision was made to first and foremost zero in on the main goal of ensuring a full complement of commissioners well in advance of a possible ruling by the United States Court of International Trade on the appeal that the United Steel Workers Union filed,” says Retread Instead spokesperson Ron Elliott.
“With the group’s collective resources, contacts and willingness to spread the word, we should see tens of thousands of letters going out to our U.S. senators very soon. We cannot stop there and are calling on all of our industry brothers and sisters to take a stand and show their support by sending letters now.”
To show your support for tariffs on low-cost imported truck tires from China, go to https://retreadinstead.net/dear-senator-ltr-campaign.
