DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-62,479

GRAND KNITTING MILLS, INC./BLUEBERRY BOULEVARD, LLC
AMITYVILLE, NEW YORK

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 investigation was initiated on November 19, 2007 in
response to a petition filed by a state agency representative on
behalf of workers at Grand Knitting Mills, Inc./Blueberry
Boulevard, LLC, Amityville, New York. Blueberry is a successor
firm to Grand Knitting Mills. Workers are engaged in the import,
distribution and sale of apparel, principally children's
sportswear and girls' dresses. Some workers are also employed in
computer assisted design (CAD) work related to the apparel
marketed by the firm.
The investigation revealed that the subject worker group
does 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 domestically,
and there must be a relationship between the workers' work and
the article produced by the workers' firm or appropriate
subdivision. The subject firm does not produce apparel in the
United States; it distributes and sells apparel produced abroad.
Designs developed and utilized by the firm in the United States
are not marketed but rather are provided to unaffiliated firms
contracted by the subject firm to cut and sew apparel abroad.
Since the workers do not support a firm or appropriate
subdivision that produces an article domestically the worker
group cannot be considered import impacted or affected by a
shift in production of an article abroad.
Petitioners allege secondary impact as supplier to a firm
whose workers received a certification of eligibility for
adjustment assistance. The investigation revealed, however, that
the firm supplied by the subject firm closed in early 2005, well
before the period affecting workers at the subject firm.
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 the
investigation, I determine that all workers of Grand Knitting
Mills, Inc./Blueberry Boulevard, LLC, Amityville, New York., 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 January 2008


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