RMI Union to lawmakers: Block use of imports

Boeing is defending its use of Russian titanium, arguing it does not violate any restriction for defense contracts.
By CYNTHIA VINARSKY
VINDICATOR BUSINESS WRITER
WEATHERSFIELD -- Union workers at RMI Titanium have sent out more than 7,000 letters to 26 federal legislators, aiming to block a Boeing Corp. plan to use Russian-made titanium in the production of 100 new cargo planes for the U.S. military.
Bob Shriver, president of United Steelworkers of America Local 2155, which represents mill workers at RMI, said the letter-writing campaign is part of a joint effort involving the union, Weathersfield-based RMI and two other large U.S. titanium manufacturers.
Union members and retirees are also telephoning lawmakers asking them to vote against the use of Russian titanium, said Ray Raschilla Jr., chairman of Local 2155-7 representing RMI clerical and technical workers.
RMI, the second largest American titanium producer, issued a press release earlier this week urging Mahoning Valley residents to contact their representatives in the House and Senate to oppose the use of foreign titanium in defense-related projects.
Quotable
"American titanium companies have the capacity to make what this contract calls for, and our business is flat," Raschilla said. "We want to be sure American titanium is used for American defense contracts. Otherwise, we'll end up out of work, and the country will be dependent upon foreign titanium."
He said the Steelworkers considered holding a rally to oppose the use of Russian titanium, but leaders decided a letter-writing and telephone campaign would be more effective.
Boeing, which is one of RMI's largest customers, has secured a lease agreement with the U.S. defense department to manufacture 100 large passenger planes, then retrofit them for use as military cargo planes.
Federal legislators agreed to let Boeing use Russian-made titanium for the planes. The union and company say that decision bypasses the Berry Amendment, a long-standing buy-American law that prohibits the use of foreign materials in military aircraft, ships and weaponry.
"I think some of the congressmen and representatives got snookered. They may not realize that, while these are commercial airliners, they will be retrofitted to serve military purposes," Shriver said.
Boeing's response
Doug Kennett, a spokesman for Boeing, argued that the Berry Amendment does not apply to the commercial 767 planes it plans to build.
Boeing has already manufactured six of the planes, but it has 94 to go, and the titanium needed for those planes would make a difference to the country's struggling titanium industry, Shriver said.
Last year's terrorist attacks and the resulting drop in air travel have hit the titanium industry hard because it is highly dependent upon the aerospace industry and orders for new aircraft have dropped off precipitously.
Russia has the capacity to make enough titanium to supply the world, Shriver said, arguing that it is important to protect and preserve America's three titanium companies. "It's more than a job issue, it's a major security concern," he said.
vinarsky@vindy.com