DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-56,495

AURAFIN-OROAMERICA, LLC
PROVIDENCE MILLING AND MANUFACTURING DIVISION
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Negative Determinations Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance
And Alternative Trade 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 February 4, 2005 in
response to a petition filed on behalf of workers of Aurafin-
Oroamerica, LLC, Providence Milling and Manufacturing Division,
Providence, Rhode Island. The workers produce gold tubing and
findings (earring components). The components produced at the
subject facility are not sold on the open market but are sent to an
affiliated facility located in the Dominican Republic for assembly
into earrings.
Petitioners allege a shift in production to the Dominican
Republic. The investigation revealed, however, that worker
separations are not attributable to a shift in production abroad or
to increases in imports, but rather are attributable to a domestic
shift of production to a manufacturing facility located in
Brooklyn, New York. Furthermore, imports from the Dominican
Republic are of fully assembled earrings which are not like or
directly competitive with the earring components produced at the
Providence facility.
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 assis-
tance (ATAA) for older workers.
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for ATAA, the worker group must be certified
eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA). Since
the workers are denied eligibility to apply for TAA, the workers
cannot be certified eligible for ATAA.
Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that all workers of
Aurafin-Oroamerica, LLC, Providence Milling and Manufacturing
Division, Providence, Rhode Island, are denied eligibility to
apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade
Act of 1974, and are also denied eligibility to apply for
alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section 246 of the
Trade Act of 1974.
Signed in Washington, D.C., this 18th day of February 2005

/s/ Richard Church
______________________________
RICHARD CHURCH
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance