FED:China, others 'cheating' trade system: AWU

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2011
FED:China, others 'cheating' trade system: AWU

GOLD COAST, Qld, Feb 16 AAP - Foreign companies are using Australia as a dumping ground
for their products and killing off Australian competitors, the Australian Workers' Union
(AWU) says.

The AWU has launched a campaign to protect Australian companies and Australian jobs
from companies, particularly those in China, which it says are "cheating" the world trade
system.

"Our union members have been asking what we're going to do about protecting their jobs
against unfair competition from overseas," AWU national secretary Paul Howes said on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately many Australians - including politicians - are just not aware that some
companies are cheating when they play the free trade game."

Mr Howes said union research showed people were not aware that foreign companies were
using Australia as a dumping ground for their products, to the detriment of Australian
competitors.

"That's why we are launching the Don't Dump on Australia campaign today," he said.

"First, we want to educate the public and the politicians before we ask the federal
government to act to protect Australia's manufacturing future."

Mr Howes was speaking at the union's national conference on the Gold Coast during a
debate on free trade.

"Australian jobs, Australian companies are going under because Chinese companies are
not playing by the rules in the global free trade game," he said.

"I am committed to free trade. I do believe that it is good for Australia. But only
if everyone plays by the rules set up by the World Trade Organisation.

"AWU workers continually take the brunt of deliberate Chinese government policies that
are not based on market principles; not based on WTO rules, but rather on a model of state
capitalism grounded in strategic goals to win dominant market share, at the expense of
international competitors."

Mr Howes said the fate of the AWU's 135,000 members rested with the creation and enforcement
in Australia of a strong anti-dumping regime.

"Unfortunately the evidence is clear that our laws and regulations on free trade are
simply weak - and other nations take advantage of our weakness.

"If our economy is to thrive and keep creating good jobs for our children and grandchildren
we need to tell China that if they want to be part of the global community they must stop
cheating on the WTO rules of the game.

"If the USA and Canada can act against dumped products, then Australia should follow
that lead and not worry about claims that this is a new form of protectionism threatening
free trade," Mr Howes said.

AAP stg/tnf/jfm/apm

KEYWORD: AWU JOBS

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.