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2 of 3 Carolinas textile jobs may go in 3 years, study says
The Charlotte Observer ^ | Thursday, July 03, 2003 | TONY MECIA

Posted on 07/06/2003 5:43:12 PM PDT by Willie Green

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

Unrestricted trade with China could cause the Carolinas to lose two of every three remaining textile jobs in the next three years, according to a study released Wednesday by the U.S. industry's leading trade group.

The American Textile Manufacturers Institute projects North Carolina will lose 85,000 textile and apparel jobs between 2004 and 2006 -- more than any other state. South Carolina would be the third-hardest hit, with 42,000 job losses, according to the report.

The study is part of a campaign by ATMI and other textile trade groups to persuade the U.S. government to re-impose quotas on certain categories of textile and apparel from China. Government limits on imports of some textile products were lifted last year, and the remaining textile quotas are scheduled to be eliminated in 2005, although tariffs will remain.

By examining the presence of Chinese-made textile products in Japan and Australia, which have no quotas, ATMI forecasts that China will control 71 percent of the U.S. textile and apparel import market by 2006, up from 20 percent this year.

That will cause an estimated 630,000 layoffs nationally in an industry that employs about 1 million, according to the report. Other countries, including those in Latin America and Africa, will also see their textile industries shrivel as China claims a growing share, ATMI said.

In an interview last week with China Daily, Chinese officials said the U.S. textile industry's efforts to limit shipments of Chinese textiles are "groundless" and an abuse of international trading rules.

Between 1998 and 2002, textile and apparel imports to the United States increased 47 percent, to 38.3 billion square meters. During that time, Chinese imports nearly tripled, to 5 billion square meters.

Erik Autor, vice president of the National Retail Federation, said he thinks trading patterns will continue to shift overseas.

"Irrespective of what might happen on quotas or even with respect to China, job losses in the apparel industry in the United States will continue, mainly because it just isn't economic to make commodity apparel in the United States," he said.

Tony Mecia: (704) 358-5069; tmecia@charlotteobserver.com


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; US: North Carolina; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: axisofeeyore; globalism; textiles; thebusheconomy
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To: Bill Davis FR
why not 3 of 3???

Probably out of recognition of the installed base of Singer Sewing machines in American homes.
With a lack of job opportunities in the mass market, it's likely that some women will resort to custom sewing in their own homes to try to help make ends meet. There are already many women in our nation supplementing their incomes in this way: making prom gowns or wedding dresses for young ladies in their small communities. It's not a big market, but one that is unlikely to be displaced by imports.

121 posted on 07/07/2003 11:32:51 AM PDT by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)
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Comment #122 Removed by Moderator

Comment #123 Removed by Moderator

To: riri
Obviously the pace of change is increasing. Are you suggesting that this is a bad thing? Will that mean that workers will have to be more mobile and adaptable? Absolutely. Again, bad thing?
124 posted on 07/07/2003 1:08:13 PM PDT by jayef
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To: freedomsnotfree
What do you want me to do about market rates for labor in China and India? Do you want to put more regulations on business? Again, how is free trade responsible for market labor rates in other countries?
125 posted on 07/07/2003 1:15:55 PM PDT by jayef
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To: jayef
Will that mean that workers will have to be more mobile and adaptable?

That is key. Is it bad, good--I don't have the answer to that. I know that I have left the country once for opportunity and will probably leave again later this year or early next year. This time I will not be so quick to return.

My children will probably grow up internationally. I hope to instill in them the ability to go where the opportunities are.

In some ways that is very frightening. I imagine my kids telling stories of what mom says America used to be like.

126 posted on 07/07/2003 1:18:12 PM PDT by riri
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To: freedomsnotfree
Don't have kids if you can't afford them.
128 posted on 07/07/2003 1:32:16 PM PDT by jern
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To: jayef
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/941821/posts
129 posted on 07/07/2003 1:40:59 PM PDT by azhenfud ("for every government action, there must be an equal and opposite reaction")
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To: freedomsnotfree
He's a libertarian if that gives you a clue.
130 posted on 07/07/2003 1:47:34 PM PDT by dennisw (G-d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
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To: jayef
Again you only prove that you are an enemy of the future. Do you not have the foresight to realize that today's "niche industry" is tomorrow's "cash cow". Microcomputers and software were niche industries in the late 70's and early '80s.

An "enemy of the future"???? WTF are you talking about? Some niche industries remain niche industries. I would guess that the majority of displaced workers would not be able to (for a variety of reasons)move into any of the high tech industries even if they did become mainstream.

Even those that are able to retrain will probably see their jobs sent to Bangalore just like your "niche industries in the late 70's and early '80s."

131 posted on 07/07/2003 2:00:15 PM PDT by TopDog2 (Deer are the spawn of satan! Wipe them out!!)
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Comment #133 Removed by Moderator

To: freedomsnotfree
Same here. I was quasi libertarian. I've been anti "free trade" since 1986, reading Clyde Prestowitz and others about Japanese trade policy.

Japan is a pussycat compared to the dangers posed by China. China's low cost production has Mexico and other 3rd world nations crying out no mas!
134 posted on 07/07/2003 3:27:12 PM PDT by dennisw (G-d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
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It's amazing to me to see the amount of idiocy here. Especially since losing jobs overseas means we lose more and more of our independence to "The World". Clothing isn't of strategic importance until you consider that the people in the states hit by it are going to be another drain on the federal teat.

Sheep
135 posted on 07/07/2003 3:32:47 PM PDT by Leatherneck_MT (Shoot Shovel and Shutup!!)
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Comment #136 Removed by Moderator

To: freedomsnotfree
The rope quote is from Lenin....but you got the right idea:)
137 posted on 07/07/2003 4:01:00 PM PDT by dennisw (G-d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
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Comment #138 Removed by Moderator

To: freedomsnotfree
Hahahah ... I just saw a new daconia55 post on another thread. Perhaps he'll answer you.
139 posted on 07/07/2003 4:02:52 PM PDT by dennisw (G-d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
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To: jayef
The stagecoach drivers, track layers, vacuum tube makers, blacksmiths, coopers, drovers, wooden shingle makers, daisy wheel printer repairmen all thank you.

Those displaced workers all got jobs in new industries, in new factories that were being built in america. Those workers went accross the street, the stagecoach drivers got jobs driving taxis, the wooden shingle makers got jobs at an american factory making asphalt shingles, the daisy wheel printer repairmen repaired new american printers, the coopers got jobs in american aluminum manufacturing, etc.

What is different today, is that no new factories are being created for new replacing industries. There is no place to go.

All new factories are in china, india, mexico, etc and they do not hire americans.

Todays americans who see their factory close, do not have a new american factory to go to, no one is building new amerian factories, and they wont either.

140 posted on 07/07/2003 6:39:45 PM PDT by waterstraat
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