DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-53,048

GENERAL SHOELACE COMPANY
LINCOLNTON, NORTH CAROLINA


Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended (19 USC 2273), the Department of Labor herein presents
the results of an investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance. The group
eligibility requirements for directly-impacted (primary) workers
under Section 222(a) the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, can be
satisfied in either of two ways:
I. Section (a)(2)(A) all of the following must be satisfied:
A. a significant number or proportion of the workers in
such workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of
the firm, have become totally or partially separated,
or are threatened to become totally or partially
separated;
B. the sales or production, or both, of such firm or
subdivision have decreased absolutely; and
C. increased imports of articles like or directly
competitive with articles produced by such firm or
subdivision have contributed importantly to such
workers' separation or threat of separation and to the
decline in sales or production of such firm or
subdivision; or

II. Section (a)(2)(B) both of the following must be satisfied:

A. a significant number or proportion of the workers in
such workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of
the firm, have become totally or partially separated,
or are threatened to become totally or partially
separated;
B. there has been a shift in production by such workers'
firm or subdivision to a foreign country of articles
like or directly competitive with articles which are
produced by such firm or subdivision; and

C. One of the following must be satisfied:

1. the country to which the workers' firm has shifted
production of the articles is a party to a free trade
agreement with the United States;
2. the country to which the workers' firm has shifted
production of the articles is a beneficiary country
under the Andean Trade Preference Act, African Growth
and Opportunity Act, or the Caribbean Basin Economic
Recovery Act; or
3. there has been or is likely to be an increase in
imports of articles that are like or directly
competitive with articles which are or were produced
by such firm or subdivision.

The investigation was initiated on September 29, 2003 in
response to a petition filed on behalf of workers at General
Shoelace Company, Lincolnton, North Carolina. The workers at the
subject firm produced shoelaces, and are not separately identi-
fiable by product line.
The investigation revealed that criteria (I.C) and (II.B)
have not been met.
The investigation revealed that there were no company
imports of shoelaces, nor was there a shift in production of
shoelaces from the Lincolnton, North Carolina plant to a foreign
country during the period under investigation.
The U.S. Department of Labor conducted a survey of a major
customer of the General Shoelace Company, Lincolnton, North
Carolina, regarding its purchases of shoelaces in 2001, 2002,
and January through September of 2003. The survey revealed that
the respondent reported no imports of shoelaces while decreasing
purchases from the subject firm in 2002 compared with 2001. For
the January-September 2003 period, the respondent also reported
no imports of shoelaces, but showed sharply increasing purchases
of shoelaces from the subject firm during the same relevant
comparison period.
Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that workers producing
shoelaces at General Shoelace Company, Lincolnton, North Caro-
lina are denied eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance
under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 6th day of November, 2003.

/s/ Elliott S. Kushner
_____________________________
ELLIOTT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance