DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-55,996

UNION WADDING COMPANY
PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

Notice of Revised Determination
Of Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance


By letter dated December 29, 2004, a company official,
requested administrative reconsideration regarding Alternative
Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA). The certification for Trade
Adjustment Assistance was signed on December 16, 2004. The
Notice of determination will soon be published in the Federal
Register.
The initial investigation determined that subject worker
group possess skills that are easily transferable.
The petitioner provided new information to show that the
workers possess skills that are not easily transferable.
At least five percent of the workforce at the subject firm
is at least fifty years of age. Competitive conditions within
the industry are adverse.






Conclusion
After careful review of the additional facts obtained on
reconsideration, I conclude that the requirements of Section 246
of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, have been met for workers
at the subject firm.
In accordance with the provisions of the Act, I make the
following certification:
"All workers of Union Wadding Company, Pawtucket, Rhode
Island, who became totally or partially separated from
employment on or after November 9, 2003 through December 16,
2006, 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 12th day of January 2005.
/s/ Elliott S. Kushner
_______________________________
ELLIOTT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance


DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-55,996

UNION WADDING COMPANY
PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance
And Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility to Apply
For 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 November 15, 2004 in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
workers of Union Wadding Company, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The
workers at the subject firm produce non-woven roll goods and trim-
a-tree merchandise; they are not separately identifiable by
product.
The investigation revealed that sales, production and
employment at the subject firm decreased absolutely in November of
2004 due to closure of the production facility.
The Department of Labor surveyed the subject firm’s major
customers regarding their purchases of non-woven goods and trim-a-
tree merchandise in 2002, 2003, and January through November of
2003 and 2004. These surveys revealed increases in customer imports
of these products during the relevant period.
In addition, in accordance with Section 246 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 assistance
(ATAA) for older workers.
The group eligibility criteria for the ATAA program

that the Department must consider under Section 246 of the

Trade Act are:

1. Whether a significant number of workers in the
workers' firm are 50 years of age or older.
2. Whether the workers in the workers' firm possess
skills that are not easily transferable.
3. The competitive conditions within the workers'
industry (i.e., conditions within the industry are
adverse).

The Department has determined that criterion 2 has not been
met. The investigation revealed that the workers’ skills are
easily transferable.


Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with those produced at the subject
firm contributed importantly to the decline in sales or production
and to the total or partial separation of workers of that firm. In
accordance with the provisions of the Act, I make the following
certification:
“All workers of Union Wadding Company, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
who became totally or partially separated from employment on
or after November 9, 2003 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
I further determine that all workers of Union Wadding Company,
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, are denied eligibility to apply for
alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section 246 of the
Trade Act of 1974.
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 16th day of December 2004

/s/ Linda G. Poole



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