US furniture retailers are rising up against a petition filed by domestic manufacturers to restrict Chinese bedroom furniture imports.
Store groups fear an anti-dumping petition from manufacturers would severely damage the US retail industry.
Stores have formed a coalition - the Furniture Retailers of America (FRA) - to fight the consequences of the petition filed with the International Trade Commission (ITC). More than 60 retailers, including Crate & Barrel, JCPenney and Rooms To Go, have joined.
The ITC said last week that bedroom furniture manufacturers in the US had been damaged by the influx of cheaper imports from China, but retailers disagree.
Mike Veitenheimer, FRA spokesman and vice-president of retailer The Bombay Company, said: 'Claiming that the petition against China will save US jobs is simply not true. Instead, the price disruptions and product shortages are almost certain to adversely affect sales, leading to job losses.'
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