The United Steelworkers union is asking the White House to investigate a University of Akron agreement with a Chinese tire company that recently opened offices in Akron.
And until the investigation is complete, Leo Gerard, president of the Pittsburgh-based union, “is urging the Obama administration direct the university to suspend its plan to assist the Chinese in gaining access to America’s technology.”
The Steelworkers, whose membership includes thousands of tire makers at Goodyear, Bridgestone Americas, Michelin and other manufacturers, asked in a letter to the White House earlier this month to “coordinate an inquiry … into the recent agreement by the University of Akron to share university research in the critical area of polymers with China’s Triangle Group.”
As of Tuesday, the Steelworkers said they have not heard back from the White House.
A subsidiary of China tire maker Triangle Group, A3T, this past summer opened its U.S. headquarters and research offices at the Akron Innovation Center, off Wolf Ledges Parkway, that is owned by the UA Research Foundation. A3T expects to hire as many as 30 people for its Akron offices. Triangle Group also announced it will hire university researchers who will work at the Akron Polymer Research Innovation Center on campus.
“UA’s research efforts in polymers and technology and research that will be transferred to Triangle is surely viewed by that company as giving it insights, if not direct technology transfers, of what has given our manufacturers an international competitive edge,” Gerard wrote in its two-page letter to Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council at the White House.
The University of Akron issued a short response to the Steelworkers letter:
“The University of Akron believes that the agreement negotiated with Triangle Group, which included the city of Akron, represents a true accomplishment for our region, Ohio and the country as a whole,” the university sent out in an email. “We are delighted when a company from outside the U.S. wants to invest in Akron’s innovative talents and help create jobs here.
“There are currently over 120 research projects occurring at UA sponsored by many global companies and industries.
“As home to the nation’s largest and most successful polymer research center, we see it as part of our job to help create jobs in Northeast Ohio, an area of the country hit hard by today’s challenging economy.
“Partnerships, alliances and collaborations and a myriad of other forms of linkages and connections are another means to helping students, faculty and the entire community to compete and succeed,” the university response concluded.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com.
