U.S. Workers Say China Uses Unfair Practices In Green Energy Market

The United Steelworkers union has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. government alleging that China is dominating the manufacture of wind turbines and solar panels through a questionable array of subsidies, tax credits, cut-rate loans, and other policies that give Chinese companies a strong competitive advantage over foreign firms. The union filed the complaint with the office of the U.S. trade representative, alleging that China is violating World Trade Organization rules in its drive to gain control of the rapidly expanding market in renewable energy technology. Leo Gerard, president of the steelworkers union, said that Chinese tactics are steadily taking green energy jobs away from the United States and are even forcing U.S. firms to give up technologies and designs as a condition of doing business in China. “If we are not going to do solar panels and fluorescent bulbs and wind turbines here, the next generation of R and D will not be here,” said Gerard. Earlier this week, the New York Times published a lengthy article describing how local and federal governments in China are using a wide array of tax breaks and other benefits to support companies making renewable energy technology.