In the back of everyone's mind will be the White House's recent initiatives to salvage a similarly struggling U.S. steel industry, which also had sought government intervention to prevent what many called unfair foreign trade practices from bankrupting more American steel companies.
Maligned by critics in other steel-producing nations, the Bush administration raised steel tariffs up to 30 percent to protect the U.S. industry from cheap imports. The tariffs are just the kind of medicine the ailing U.S. textile industry has been seeking for years.
So there's the possibility Friday's summit at Gaston College could deteriorate into a gripe session over the economic sanctions announced by the Bush administration to shore up American steel.
As he prepared to welcome Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, South Carolina's Jim Hodges and Virginia's Mark Warner, Easley said North Carolina has lost nearly 70,000 textile and apparel jobs over the past four years.
"As governors of the four textile manufacturing states, it is critical that we work together on this important issue," he said. "But we cannot do it alone. We need immediate assistance from Washington."
Gaston County, about 30 miles west of Charlotte, is ground zero when it comes to displaced textile workers.
The county's unemployment rate reached 10 percent in January, the highest it has been in nearly a decade. Last year, nearly half of the 2,228 manufacturing jobs that were lost in the county were in the textile industry.
"There is no expectation for massive legislative help for the same kinds of protection as steel," said Donny Hicks, the county's economic development director.
Manufacturers blame much of their trouble on the flood of cheap foreign imports and illegal trade practices. In the last year, more than 100 U.S. textile mills have closed and industry giants such as Burlington Industries, Malden Mills and Guilford Mills have sought bankruptcy protection.
While he's not holding out against hope for the kind of relief that U.S. steelmakers got from Washington, Hicks hopes the four governors will send a clear message to the White House.
"We need to send a common message to the federal government that we need help with these items," he said. "We believe it's a misconception that this country will not miss this industry. And if it is going to be sacrificed, we need time to replace these jobs."
Easley spokeswoman Cari Boyce said the governors want industry leaders and textile workers to share their ideas at the meeting about what can be done to turn around the fortunes of the industry.
"This has been a priority for the governor for a long time," she said. "He recently participated in a roundtable discussion with (U.S. Commerce Secretary) Don Evans and Rep. Robin Hayes at a Burlington Industries plant. And he's been in contact with the (Bush) administration."
Industry officials also will speak at the summit
"I'm glad the governors are all involved in this," said Harding Stowe, chief executive officer of R.L. Stowe Mills in Belmont. "There's a lot at stake, with people losing their health insurance and their jobs."
According to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, the state's textile industry has lost 12,600 jobs, or about 9.5 percent of its total work force, since January 2001.
Key trade organizations, including the American Yarn Spinners Association and the American Textiles Manufacturing Institute, also plan to send representatives to the summit.
Mike Hubbard, executive vice president of the yarn spinners group, said he expects a lively discussion of key issues such as foreign trade, enforcement of U.S. trade laws and stopping illegal transshipments.
Robert Dupree of ATMI expects the much of the discussion to focus on the human element.
"These governors have been listening and watching as more plants close and workers lose their jobs," he said.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/3/197170