Retread Instead, an industry interest group created to increase awareness of the benefits of retreading throughout North America, has launched its Dear United States Senator Letter Campaign to educate and inform U.S. senators of issues related to the industry.

The group, which advocates for imposing tariffs, antidumping duties and countervailing duties on commercial Chinese truck and bus tires that are imported into the United States, is urging its supporters to write to their senator or allow the group to send a letter to a senator on the individual’s behalf.

Topics the group is aiming to make senators more aware of include:

1. The urgency of making sure that the United States International Trade Commission at all times has a full complement of commissioners to ensure fair and balanced determinations.
2. The well over 60,000 U.S. jobs in retreading and related industries that are being threatened by the importation of non-retreadable truck and bus tires from China that are sold at below fair market value.
3. The environmental impact of non-retreadable truck tires that is evidenced by the millions of used tires being sent to our landfills each year.
4. The need to conserve our natural resources by using new premium, high quality truck and bus tires that can be repaired, retreaded and run multiple times before having to be replaced thus, saving millions of pounds of raw materials each year.

Ron Elliott, Retread Instead spokesperson, cited Gene Walker, vice president of Premier Rubber Company, as an example of how the industry can show its support for Retread Instead initiatives.

“We need more industry leaders like Gene to join the campaign and reach out to their U.S. Senators and request that they fill all open positions at the United States International Trade Commission without delay and well in advance of a possible ruling by the United States Court of International Trade.”

To view the template or have the group send a letter on your behalf, click here.

The United Steel Workers Union filed an appeal in April challenging the International Trade Commission’s decision not to impose tariffs, and in November, filed a reply before the United States Court of International Trade. In a press release, it said four of six Commissioner positions are filled with two of those still serving past the original term of their appointment. Therefore, the commission has four vacancies. The group said one nominee has been affirmed by the Senate Finance Committee while two others are in the approval process.