Kaptur Urges Protection for Glassmakers

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 11, 2013) -- Congresswoman Kaptur joined Ohio’s two U.S. senators, Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, in urging the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to maintain crucial trade protections for Ohio tableware makers, including Toledo-based Libbey, Inc., during ongoing negotiations.

In a letter to Ambassador Michael Froman, the legislators cited the importance of the glassware industry to Ohio: “We urge your continued support for the domestic glass tableware industry’s import-sensitive treatment. This issue is of crucial importance to workers in a number of states.”

Congresswoman Kaptur urged the USTR to maintain protections from foreign competition for Libbey and Lancaster-based Anchor Hocking in the context of ongoing negotiations on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreements.

The domestic glassware manufacturing sector has for decades been categorized as “import-sensitive,” making Libbey and other glassware production companies eligible for international trade protections such as higher tariff enforcement.

The TPP is an Asia-Pacific trade agreement involving the U.S. and 10 other nations, including Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand as well as Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. The U.S. has indicated its intent to include Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, at a future date. The TTIP initiative is a proposed trade agreement between the U.S. and the European Union. The Obama Administration is seeking congressional authority under so-called “fast track” provisions to negotiate the two agreements.

The Ohio legislators were joined in the letter to Froman (attached) by Louisiana senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, Pennsylvania senator Bob Casey and House members John Fleming (LA) and Steve Stivers (OH).

Libbey, based in Toledo since 1888, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of glass tableware, with plants in Ohio and Louisiana and in four countries other than the United States.
Libbey recently completed successful negotiations on new, three-year collective bargaining agreements with all four local unions in Toledo.