DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-92,153

DURO TEXTILES, LLC
INCLUDING ON-SITE LEASED WORKERS FROM ABEL ASSOCIATES
FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS


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 August 30, 2016, by UNITE HERE on behalf of workers of
Duro Textiles, LLC, including on-site leased workers from Abel
Associates, Fall River, Massachusetts (Duro Textiles). Workers
of Duro Textiles are engaged in activities related to the
production of fabrics (dyeing, printing, coating, and
finishing) for a variety of applications.
During the course of the investigation, the Department
collected information from the petitioner, a former company
official, the workers' firm's major declining customer(s), and
public sources.
Section 222(a)(1) has been met because a significant
number or proportion of the workers in Duro Textiles 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 at Duro Textiles have decreased absolutely.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) has been met because imports of
articles like or directly competitive with those produced by
Duro Textiles have increased during the relevant period.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(iii) has been met because increased
customer imports contributed importantly to the worker group
separations and sales/production declines at Duro Textiles.

Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Duro Textiles, who
are engaged in activities related to the production of fabrics,
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 Duro Textiles, LLC, including on-site
leased workers from Abel Associates, Fall River,
Massachusetts, who became totally or partially separated
from employment on or after August 29, 2015, 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 29th day of December 2016.
/s/Del Min Amy Chen
______________________________
DEL MIN AMY CHEN
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance