DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-61,918

THE APPAREL GROUP
FOXCROFT SPORTSWEAR DIVISION
FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS

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.
4.
The investigation was initiated on August 2, 2007 in
response to a petition filed by the State Trade Programs Manager on
behalf of workers at The Apparel Group, Foxcroft Sportswear
Division, Fall River, Massachusetts. In general the workers
provide warehousing and distribution services. There is a second
group of workers who produce apparel samples and patterns; the
workers are separately identifiable by task.
Sample and Pattern Makers
The investigation revealed that criteria (a)(2)(A)(I.C.) and
(a)(2)(B)(II.B.) have not been met for workers of The Apparel
Group, Foxcroft Sportswear Division, producing apparel samples and
patterns in Fall River, Massachusetts.
The investigation revealed that subject firm did not shift the
production of apparel samples and patterns to a foreign country,
nor did it import apparel samples and patterns in 2006 and 2007.
Warehousing And Distribution Workers
The investigation revealed that warehousing and distribution
workers of The Apparel Group, Foxcroft Sportswear Division, Fall
River, Massachusetts do not produce an article within the meaning
of Section 222(a)(2) of the Act. In order 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 and
there must be a relationship between the workers' work and the
article produced by the workers' firm or appropriate subdivision.
The warehousing and distribution workers described above do not
support a firm or appropriate subdivision that produces an article
domestically and thus the worker group can not be considered import
impacted or affected by a shift in production of an article.
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, I determine that all workers of The
Apparel Group, Foxcroft Sportswear Division, Fall River, Massachu-
setts 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 21st day of August, 2007


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