Document N2Gawvrbxprbppxoy2JqykY1R

On Sept. 8, 1975 the Work Glove Mfg.'Assn. filed a petition with the International Trade Commission for relief from harm caused by imported work gloves. On Dec. 16,'1975 public hearings were held by the ITC in Washington, D. C. Witnesses appearing in behalf of the petition were: Martin. Dykstra, Pres. WGMA, Wolverine Glove Co. Carroll Wells, Past Pres. WGMA, Welli, LamentCorp. Montgomery Wells, Pres. Wells, Lament Corp Rodman Townsend, Pres. Knoxville Glove Co. Roy Mann, Jr., Pres. Mann Mfg. Co. John Plant, Pres. John Plant Co* Marvin Frenkel, Pres. Advance Glove Co* Joseph Green, Pres Green Glove Co* Fred Hunt, Fairfield Glove Co. John Casey, Past Pres. [.S.E.A.,,GranetCorp. Robert Thomas, Edmont-WiIson Corp. Wm. Grundy, Jomac, Inc. Wm. Franklin, Keller Glove Co* Other witnesses were representatives of"supplier industries, as: National Cotton Council,- National Tanners Council, Riegel Textiles, Arkwright Mills, Texti les, Inc. Other members of ISEA who were in attendance during . the hearings, acting as advisors to WGMA, were Wm. Clay,- Pres. Granet Corp., and George Mack, V.P. Best Mfg. Co. Thw`WGMA legal representatives were from Jenner & Block, Chicago: Jonathan Howe, Terrence Hutton, and Henry Schaffer. .Page 1 nrc 978 The Commission had six months to conduct an investigation and make a finding, which is then sent to the President for action, .-on March 8, 1976 the Commission rejected the petition by a 5 to 1 vote.. The finding was based on the conclusion that there had not been harm done to the domestic industry, nor was there threat of harm. This -is despite the fact of imported work gloves continuing to penetrate the domestic market at an ever increasing rate. As an example, and this is about average, in the category of cotton knitted work gloves (lisle, jersey, and terrycloth) the percentage of penetration of the domestic market starting in 1970 through 1975 goes as follows: 1.1?, 1.4?, 1.9?, 13-.S?, 15.0%. .The percentages of penetration vary according to category up to 47? penetration of the domestic leather palm glove market by imports. recommendation If the ISEA is not now gathering statistics on units and dollar volume of domestic production and imports of items of interest to the association, then i wou.ld advise you to do so immediately. Such statistics cannot be too extensive and should go back in time as far as possible. You can be sure that in any confrontation with importers, they will have ail the statistics there are. Not that \yMGA was able to accomplish much be having good figures, but without such figures there would have been no chance- for a petition or hearing, thus no chance of stemming the import tide. two It seems obvious that the next item to suffer from low priced import competition will be asbestos cloth, clothing, and other manufactured asbestos items. Our company is -not even in the asbestos business in any way and already we have been solicited by a Mexican company for asbestos cloth, which incidentally I was surprised to note comes into the US duty free.. The next obvious .'step is to make the asbestos items in Mexico* Safety shoes are an.obvious target, instruments, etc. I would recommend a program along the lines of one of the ISEA members who, i feel confident, would not object to-his idea, being broadened ...to include all safety items, as follows: "Make .sure y.our safety device was not bought on price, but rather on quality." ff. Franklin/ DK Schleicher Ke1ler Glove Co Page 3 DKS 280