(erielack) Another Former EL Customer Bites The Dust?

[RJFlei_@_aol.com]

List,

It was reported this weekend in the Warren (Ohio) Tribune Chronicle that 
President Bush has refused to place import quotas on Chinese steel tubing. 

Wheatland Tube (Sharon, Pa. area) had been asking the President to impose 
import limits on Chinese steel tubing because the imports were damaging 
Wheatland's business. 

Wheatland Tube is right near the former EL Ferrona Yard. This is also near 
where the Newcastle Branch of the EL joined the mainline. 

Wheatland Tube and it's union had joined together to try to enlist Bush 
administration help. Wheatland has said that it cannot compete with low Chinese 
wages. The company has said that they may shut down the Sharon Works and lay off 
hundreds of workers. There is also the possibility that workers at other 
Wheatland Tube plants in the area may be laid off also. 

I'm not sure what the wage structure is now, but as of about 3 years ago, the 
wage rate was about $12 an hour. Those guys aren't getting rich at that pay 
rate. The Chinese pay rate ranges from 38 cents an hour to about $ 3 an hour. 
Anyone on this list want to "compete" with these Chinese labor rates? They also 
have national healthcare. 

If I remember correctly, the Chinese sent 10,000 tons of steel tubing to the 
US in the year 2000 or 2001. By the year 2005 they were shipping 400,000 tons 
to the US. 

President Bush said that he wouldn't impose import limits on Chinese tubing 
because the limits would hurt customers and would be hard to enforce, saying 
that the Chinese would just ship the tubing to other countries - then into the 
US. 

Gee folks, why don't we just ship all our jobs overseas? Everything would be 
cheaper to buy, but who would have the money to buy it? Believe me, the 
Mahoning and Shenango Valleys can't affford to keep losing jobs like this. 

Rick Fleischer
Cortland, Oh.


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