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TAW-85150  /  Clearwire Corporation (Palatine, IL)

Petitioner Type: Workers
Impact Date: 03/12/2013
Filed Date: 03/18/2014
Most Recent Update: 03/22/2016
Determination Date: 03/22/2016
Expiration Date: 03/22/2018

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-85,150

CLEARWIRE CORPORATION
A SUBSIDIARY OF SPRINT/UNITED MANAGEMENT COMPANY
A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF SPRINT CORPORATION
PALATINE, ILLINOIS

Notice of Revised Determination
After Statutory Reconsideration

As required by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization
Act of 2015 (TAARA 2015), which was enacted as Title IV of the
Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015, Public Law No. 114-27,
section 405(a)(1)(A), the investigation into this petition was
reopened for a reconsideration investigation to apply the
requirements for worker group eligibility under chapter 2 of title
II of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by the TAARA 2015, to the
facts of this petition (statutory reconsideration).
The initial investigation, initiated March 18, 2014, resulted
in a negative determination, issued on July 24, 2014, that was
based on the firm not producing an article. The determination was
applicable to workers and former workers of Clear, a subsidiary of
Sprint, Palatine, Illinois. During the statutory reconsideration,
the worker group was clarified to be Clearwire Corporation, a
subsidiary of Sprint/United Management Company, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Sprint Corporation, Palatine, Illinois (herein
referred to as “Clearwire Corporation”). The workers’ firm is
engaged in activities related to the supply of customer services in
support of the firm’s servicing of wireless devices.
Based on information reviewed during the reconsideration
investigation, the Department of Labor determines that an
acquisition of services from a foreign country contributed
importantly to the worker group separations.
Section 222(a)(1) has been met because a significant number
or proportion of the workers in such workers’ firm have become
totally or partially separated, or are threatened to become totally
or partially separated.
Section 222(a)(2)(B) has been met because the workers’ firm
has acquired from a foreign country services like or directly
competitive with services supplied by the workers which contributed
importantly to worker group separations at Clearwire Corporation.
Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that workers of Clearwire
Corporation, a subsidiary of Sprint/United Management Company, a
wholly owned subsidiary of Sprint Corporation, Palatine,
Illinois, who are engaged in activities related to supply of
customer services in support of the firm’s servicing of wireless
devices, meet the worker group certification criteria under Section
222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a). In accordance with Section
223 of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273, I make the following
certification:

"All workers of Clearwire Corporation, a subsidiary of
Sprint/United Management Company, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Sprint Corporation, Palatine, Illinois who became totally
or partially separated from employment on or after March 12,
2013, through two years from the date of certification, and
all workers in the group threatened with total or partial
separation from employment on the date of certification
through two years from the date of certification, are eligible
to apply for adjustment assistance under Chapter 2 of Title II
of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended.”

Signed in Washington, D.C., this 22nd day of March, 2016


/s/Hope D. Kinglock
______________________________
HOPE D. KINGLOCK
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance





DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-85,150

CLEAR
A SUBSIDIARY OF SPRINT
PALATINE, ILLINOIS

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 ("Act"), 19 U.S.C. § 2273, the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of an investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
Workers of a firm may be eligible for worker adjustment
assistance if they satisfy the criteria of subsection (a) and (b)
of Section 222 of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a) and (b). For the
Department of Labor to issue a certification for workers under
Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), the following three
criteria must be met:
(1) The first criterion (set forth in Section 222(a)(1) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a)(1)) requires that 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
(2) The second criterion (set forth in Section 222(a)(2) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a)(2)) may be satisfied in one of two
ways:
(A) Increased Imports Path:
(i) sales or production, or both, at the workers' firm must
have decreased absolutely, AND
(ii) imports of articles like or directly competitive with
articles produced by such firm or subdivision have
increased; and
(iii) the increase described in clause (ii) contributed
importantly to such workers' separation or threat of
separation and to the decline in the sales or
production of such firm or subdivision.

(B) Shift in Production Path:
(i) 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
(ii)(I) 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;
(II)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
(III)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.

For the Department to issue a secondary worker certification
under Section 222(b) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(b), to workers of
a Supplier or a Downstream Producer, the following criteria must be
met:
(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in the
workers' firm or an appropriate subdivision of the firm
have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;
(2) the workers' firm is a Supplier or Downstream Producer to
a firm that employed a group of workers who received a
certification of eligibility under Section 222(a) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), and such supply or production
is related to the article that was the basis for such
certification; and
(3) either
(A) the workers' firm is a supplier and the component parts
it supplied to the firm described in paragraph (2)
accounted for at least 20 percent of the production or
sales of the workers' firm; or
(B) a loss of business by the workers' firm with the firm
described in paragraph (2) contributed importantly to the
workers' separation or threat of separation.


Section 222(c) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(c), defines the
terms "Supplier" and "Downstream Producer."
The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed on March 18, 2014 on behalf of workers of Clear, a
subsidiary of Sprint, Palatine, Illinois (subject firm). Clear
provides customer support services for Sprint customers. Sprint
provides telecommunication services. The petitioners allege that
"The Company (Clear) has moved all customer services to India."
During the course of the investigation, the Department
contacted the petitioner(s) and company officials, and reviewed
publically available information about the subject firm.
The investigation revealed that the subject firm does not
produce an article within the meaning of Section 222(a) or Section
222(b) 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. The definition
of a firm includes an individual proprietorship, partnership, joint
venture, association, corporation (including a development
corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy,
and receiver under decree of any court.
During the investigation, the Department obtained information
that revealed that the workers' firm did not produce an article;
rather, Clear supplied customer support services.
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance
(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 Clear, a subsidiary
of Sprint, Palatine, Illinois, 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 24th day of July 2014.

/s/Del Min Amy Chen
______________________________
DEL MIN AMY CHEN
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance