DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-54,547

ISPAT INLAND INC.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance and
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19
USC 2273), as amended, 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) of Section 222 have been met.
The investigation was initiated on March 18, 2004, in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
workers of the Information Technology Department of Ispat Inland,
Inc., East Chicago, Indiana. The workers are engaged in the
development and maintenance of systems that control the
manufacture, sale and distribution of steel products produced at
a corporately affiliated facility.

In order for service workers to be considered eligible to
apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade
Act of 1974, the worker group seeking certification (or on whose
behalf certification is being sought) must work for a "firm" or
appropriate subdivision that produces an article domestically and
there must be a relationship between the workers' work and the
article produced by the workers' firm or appropriate
subdivision. The investigation revealed that production of an
article occurred within the firm and the subject workers are in
support of this production. Thus the worker group can be
considered import impacted or affected by a shift in production
of an article.
The investigation revealed that Ispat Inland, Inc., East
Chicago, Indiana in which the subject firm workers support the
production of carbon and alloy flat steel sheet in coils. The
investigation further revealed that sales and production of
carbon and alloy flat steel sheet in coils at the Ispat Inland,
Inc., East Chicago, Indiana declined during the relevant period.
The U.S. Department of Labor conducted a survey of the
subject firm's major declining customers regarding their
purchases of carbon and alloy flat steel sheet in coils during
2002, 2003 and January through May 2004 over the corresponding
2003 period. The survey revealed that a major declining customer
increased its import purchases of carbon and alloy flat steel
sheet in coils products during the relevant period.
In addition, in accordance with Section 246 of the Trade Act
of 1974 (26 USC 2813), as amended, the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of its investigation regarding certification
of eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment assis-
tance (ATAA) for older workers.
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for ATAA, the group eligibility requirements
of Section 246 of the Trade Act must be met. The Department has
determined in this case that the requirements of Section 246 have
been met.
A significant number of workers at the firm are age 50 or
over and possess skills that are not easily transferable.
Competitive conditions within the industry are adverse.
The workers at the subject facility were certified for TAA
under TA-W-40,459. That certification expired on March 19,
2004.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with carbon and alloy flat steel
mill products contributed importantly to the total or partial
separation of workers and to the decline in sales or production
at that firm or subdivision. In accordance with the provisions
of the Act, I make the following certification:




"All workers of the Information Technology Department of
Ispat Inland, Inc., East Chicago, Indiana who became totally
or partially separated from employment on or after March 20,
2004 through two years from the date of certification are
eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section
223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are also eligible to apply
for alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section
246 of the Trade Act of 1974."
Signed in Washington, D. C., this 9th day of June, 2004.

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