Findings of the Investigation

BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL

TA-W-54,821

BURLINGTON INDUSTRIES LLC
CORPORATE OFFICE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-54,821

BURLINGTON INDUSTRIES LLC
CORPORATE OFFICE
A DIVISION OF WL ROSS & COMPANY LLC
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

Certifications 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 April 30, 2004 in response
to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of workers of
Burlington Industries LLC, Corporate Office, a division of WL Ross
& Company LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina. The workers of the
subject division provide a variety of business services for seven
manufacturing facilities. These services include human resources,
benefits administration, finance, engineering, information
technology, planning and customer service.
Workers at the subject location were certified eligible to
apply for trade adjustment assistance on February 4, 2002 (TA-W-
40,205). That certification expired February 4, 2004.
Employment of at the subject firm declined from April 2003 to
April 2004.
The investigation revealed that the decline in employment of
administrative personnel at the subject firm is directly related to
increased company imports by the BH Finishing Plant in Burlington,
North Carolina. Burlington House Finishing, a division of
Burlington House, Burlington, North Carolina was certified as
eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance on November 13,
2003 based on increased customer imports (TA-W-53,264). Since that
time company imports of mattress ticking have increased while
production of these articles at the BH Finishing Plant have
decreased, indicating that imports continue to contribute
importantly to separations at the subject firm.
In addition, 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 the case of Burlington
Industries LLC, Corporate Office, a division of WL Ross & Company
LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina that the requirements of Section
246 have been met.
A significant number of workers at the division are age 50 or
over and possess skills that are not easily transferable.
Competitive conditions within the industry are adverse.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I conclude that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with mattress ticking produced at
Burlington House Finishing, a division of Burlington House,
Burlington, North Carolina contributed importantly to the total or
partial separation of workers from Burlington Industries LLC,
Corporate Office, a division of WL Ross & Company LLC, Greensboro,
North Carolina. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, I
make the following certification:
"All workers of Burlington Industries LLC, Corporate Office, a
division of WL Ross & Company LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina
who became totally or partially separated from employment on
or after February 5, 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/ Richard Church
______________________________
RICHARD CHURCH
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance