DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-90,221

NIAGARA LASALLE CORPORATION
A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF OPTIMA SPECIALTY STEEL, INC.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker 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.
The group eligibility requirements for workers of a firm
under Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), are
satisfied if the following criteria are met:
(1) 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; and

(2)(A)(i) the sales or production, or both, of such firm have
decreased absolutely; and

(ii)(I) imports of articles or services like or directly
competitive with articles produced or services supplied by
such firm have increased; and

(iii) the increase in imports 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.

The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed on September 8, 2015 by a state workforce office on
behalf of workers of Niagara LaSalle Corporation, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Optima Specialty Steel, Inc., Buffalo, New
York (herein known as "Niagara LaSalle Corporation" or
"workers' firm"). The workers' firm is engaged in activities
related to the production of cold drawn steel bars.
During the course of the investigation, information was
collected from the petitioner and workers' firm.
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)(A)(i) has been met because the sales
and/or production of cold drawn steel bars by Niagara LaSalle
Corporation have decreased absolutely.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) has been met because aggregate
United States imports of articles like or directly competitive
with the articles by Niagara LaSalle Corporation have
increased as well as customer imports of articles like or
directly competitive with the articles produced by the
workers' firm.
Finally, Section 222(a)(2)(A)(iii) has been met because
increased imports contributed importantly to the worker group
separations and sales/production declines at Niagara LaSalle
Corporation.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Niagara LaSalle
Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Optima Specialty
Steel, Inc., Buffalo, New York, who are engaged in activities
related to the production of cold drawn steel bars 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 Niagara LaSalle Corporation, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Optima Specialty Steel, Inc.,
Buffalo, New York, who became totally or partially
separated from employment on or after January 1, 2014,
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 21st day of June 2016.
/s/Hope D. Kinglock
______________________________
HOPE D. KINGLOCK
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance