DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-61,862
OEM/ERIE INC.
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

Negative Determination 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 July 23, 2007, in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
workers at OEM/Eire Inc., Erie, Pennsylvania. The workers
produce plastic trim parts for the automotive industry and are
not separately identifiable along production lines.
The investigation revealed that criteria (a)(2)(A)(I.C) and
(a)(2)(B)(II.B) were not met.
The investigation revealed that the subject firm did not
import plastic trim parts for the automotive industry in 2005,
2006, or from January through June 2007, nor did it shift
production abroad in this period.
The Department of Labor surveyed an entity to which the
subject facility submitted bids to produce plastic trim parts
for the automotive industry. This survey revealed that although
the work was awarded to foreign entities, the subject firm was
not the lowest domestic bidder on the work they submitted bids
for.
Furthermore, the Department of Labor surveyed the subject
firm's major declining customer regarding its purchases of
plastic trim parts for the automotive industry in 2005, 2006,
and January through June 2007. This survey revealed no increase
in import purchases of plastic trim parts in the period under
investigation.
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.
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 of the facts obtained in this
investigation, I determine that all workers of OEM/Eire Inc.,
Erie, Pennsylvania are denied eligibility to apply for adjust-
ment 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, as amended.

Signed in Washington, D.C., this 15th day of October, 2007

/s/ Linda G. Poole
______________________________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance