DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-53,109

HICKORY THROWING COMPANY
HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA

Certification 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 its investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
In order to make an affirmative determination and issue a
certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment
Assistance, the group eligibility requirements in either
paragraph (a)(2)(A) or (a)(2)(B) of Section 222 of the Trade Act
must be met. It is determined in this case that the requirements
of (a)(2)(A)(ii)(iii) of Section 222 have been met - the sales
and/or production have decreased absolutely at the workers firm
or subdivision and an increase in imports of articles like or
directly competitive with articles produced by the workers' firm
or subdivision contributed importantly to workers' separation or
threat of separation and to the decline in the sales or
production of the subject firm or subdivision.
The investigation was initiated on October 2, 2003 in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
workers at Hickory Throwing Company, Hickory, North Carolina.
The workers at the subject firm produce yarn; they are not
separately identifiable by product line.
The investigation revealed that production and employment
at the subject firm declined absolutely during the period of
January through May of 2003, when compared to the same period in
2002.
The investigation further revealed that company imports of
yarn increased absolutely during the relevant period.


Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with yarn produced at Hickory
Throwing Company, Hickory, North Carolina contributed
importantly to the total or partial separation of workers and to
the decline in production and at that firm or subdivision. In
accordance with the provisions of the Act, I make the following
certification:
"All workers of Hickory Throwing Company, Hickory, North
Carolina who became totally or partially separated from
employment on or after September 29, 2002 through two years
from the date of certification are eligible to apply for
adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of
1974."
Signed in Washington, D. C. this 6th day of November 2003.

/s/ Linda G. Poole

_______________________________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance