PoliticalNews.me– Jun 10,2012 – Ohio, Michigan Senators Urge Obama Administration to Investigate Foreign Trade Practices, Defend Manufacturing Jobs at Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool, Based in Benton Harbor, Michigan Has Largest U.S. Factory in Clyde, Ohio
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ohio and Michigan U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rob Portman (R-OH), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) this week urged the Obama Administration to investigate unfair foreign trade practices and defend manufacturing jobs at the Whirlpool Corporation. The senators sent a letter to the U.S. Commerce Department asking the agency to enforce trade laws that level the playing field for companies like Whirlpool. In December 2011, Whirlpool—which is based in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and whose largest American factory is in Clyde, Ohio—filed a case with the Commerce Department regarding the dumping of large residential washers, made in South Korea and Mexico, into the U.S. market. These unfairly dumped imports place companies that manufacture their product in America, like Whirlpool, at an unfair disadvantage.
“In order to create an environment to encourage [the] repatriation [of jobs], we must ensure that companies that do bring jobs home to the United States, such as Whirlpool, are not handicapped by unfair trade practices perpetrated by their foreign competitors,” the senators wrote. “When companies engage in dumping and benefit from unfair foreign government subsidies, it harms American companies and workers and the communities in which they operate.”
“Whirlpool Corporation has nine manufacturing plants in the United States – and five of them are located in Ohio. We know why—because of our state’s strong manufacturing heritage and because our workers are second-to-none. And our companies, like Whirlpool, can compete with anyone in the world when there is a level playing field,” said Brown, who visited Whirlpool’s Clyde plant this week. “But what’s happening to Whirlpool has happened to too many American industries—our manufacturers are being undermined and undercut by illegal trade practices carried out by our trading partners. Unfairly-subsidized imports harm our ability to innovate and compete.
“Our workers don’t mind competition. Competition is healthy. It breeds innovation, and it’s the American way. But it’s not competing when foreign competitors dump their products in our market, undercutting the products made here in Clyde—it’s cheating,” Brown added. “Today, I am urging the Obama Administration to be aggressive in investigating the unfair trade practices of Whirlpool’s competitors, who make their products in South Korea and Mexico. If we want to encourage companies like Whirlpool to continue moving jobs back to the U.S., then we also have to get tough on countries that don’t play by the rules.”
“Ohio companies who play by the rules should not be penalized by the unfair practices of foreign competitors,” said Portman. “Manufacturers such as Whirlpool, who provide good jobs for hardworking Ohioans, can compete with anyone as long as trade rules are being enforced. The Obama administration should continue to investigate the harmful practices of foreign companies who cut corners and put domestic companies at a competitive disadvantage.”
“Workers at Whirlpool and other American manufacturers can compete and
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