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<p class="MsoNormal">FYI/gary/usw<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">><a href="mailto:ghubbard@usw.org">ghubbard@usw.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">April 19, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Holly Hart<b> </b>
(202) 778-4384, </span><a href="mailto:hhart@usw.org"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">hhart@usw.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:105%"><b><span style="font-size:20.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">USW Disappointed by China’s Refusal to Support Multilateral Framework on Global Steel Overcapacity
at OECD<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">(Pittsburgh) –
<i>United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard released the following statement today after learning that the High Level Dialogue at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was unable to advance a global framework to address
steel overcapacity.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Today the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) learned that China refused to join in developing a comprehensive multilateral
framework to reign in overcapacity in the steel sector. China is the single largest contributor to overcapacity in the sector as it has fueled the rise of its domestic steel companies through a combination of subsidies and other support.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">China’s policies have decimated U.S. steel producers and led to the layoff of more than 13,500 workers. Last week, the USTR held two days
of hearings on this topic and witness after witness gave testimony on the crisis in the sector.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“When China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), proponents argued that it would lead to that country’s transformation to a more market-based
approach. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. In fact, in recent years, China has backslid on some of the few reforms it had announced. China has repeatedly announced its intention to reduce overcapacity in the steel sector, but the facts speak louder
than words. Its capacity has continued to grow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The Obama Administration made clear that effective action was needed. China’s refusal to commit to specific and timely actions sets the stage
for trade actions around the globe. The USW will work closely with the administration as plans are developed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The OECD meeting may have been the last-ditch opportunity to develop a framework for multilateral overcapacity disciplines. Now the time for
talk has ended. Action is needed. Too many lives and livelihoods are at stake as well as the national security of the United States.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.0pt"><em><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil
refining and the service and public sectors. For more information: <a href="http://www.usw.org/">
<span style="font-style:normal">http://www.usw.org/</span></a>.</span></em><em><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><em><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><em><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""># # #</span></em><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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