Foreign steel imports threaten U. S. Steel and United Steelworkers jobs in MN
The Iron Ore Alliance is extremely concerned about the continued health and viability of iron ore mines in Minnesota if South Korea and eight other countries keep dumping their steel products into the U.S. market. Last year, United States Steel Corporation filed a trade case against the countries, based on an intense surge in underpriced steel products imported into the U.S. market. We believe that these products are being illegally dumped into our market at prices below normal value and in ways designed to circumvent trade laws. The case is now under consideration by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In 2008, Chinese companies aggressively dumped these same products into our market, causing pipe mills across the nation to close or operate at less than 30 percent capacity. Thousands of steelworkers were left without jobs. The unfair dumping of 2008 also hurt Minnesota’s iron mining operations, as it sparked talks of consolidating our Minntac and Keetac facilities. The industry fought against the illegally dumped Chinese imports and won, and we hope to achieve the same result in 2014. The Iron Ore Alliance will continue to work hard to share the importance of this issue so we can continue employing, operating and investing in Minnesota.
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