Denied
« back to search results

TAW-98177  /  Sierra Pacific Industries (Eugene, OR)

Petitioner Type: State
Impact Date:
Filed Date: 01/25/2022
Most Recent Update: 02/28/2022
Determination Date: 02/28/2022
Expiration Date:

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-98,177

SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES

A SUBSIDIARY OF SIERRA PACIFIC LAND AND TIMBER

INCLUDING WORKERS WHOSE WAGES WERE REPORTED UNDER

SENECA SAWMILL COMPANY

EUGENE, OREGON

Negative Determinations Regarding Eligibility

To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

And Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended ("the Act"), 19 U.S.C. § 2273, the Department of Labor
("Department") 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 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 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 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 Trade
Adjustment Assistance for Workers (TAA) and Alternative Trade
Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) petition dated January 24, 2022 and
filed on January 25, 2022 by a State Workforce Office, on behalf
former workers of Sierra Pacific Industries, a subsidiary of
Sierra Pacific Land and Timber, Eugene, Oregon (hereafter
referred to as the "group of workers" or "Sierra Pacific
Industries-Eugene"). The group of workers includes workers whose
wages were reported under Seneca Sawmill Company. In accordance
with 20 C.F.R. 618.110 group of workers is defined as,
""¦including teleworkers and staffed workers." Sierra Pacific
Industries-Eugene is engaged in activities related to the
production of dimension lumber.

The petition alleges that worker separations, or threats
thereof, were potentially due to "multiple trade impacts."

During the course of the investigation, the Department
collected information from the petitioner(s), the workers' firm,
and other relevant sources.

The investigation revealed that Sierra Pacific Industries
acquired Seneca Sawmill Company in October 2021 and has multiple
domestic facilities producing articles like or directly
competitive with the dimension lumber produced at Sierra Pacific
Industries-Eugene.

With respect to Section 222(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Sierra Pacific Industries-Eugene has
not experienced a decline in the sales or production of
dimension lumber during the relevant period (1-year period
prior to the petition date).

With respect to Section 222(a)(2)(B) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that the workers' firm did not shift the
production of dimension lumber, or a like or directly
competitive article, to a foreign country.

With respect to Section 222(b)(2) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Sierra Pacific Industries-Eugene is
not a Supplier 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 does not act as a Downstream
Producer to a firm (or subdivision, whichever is applicable)
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), based on an increase in imports from, or a shift in
production to, Canada or Mexico.

ALTERNATIVE TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance
(ATAA), the group of workers must be certified eligible to apply
for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). Because the group of
workers are denied eligibility to apply for TAA, the group of
workers cannot be certified eligible for ATAA.

Conclusion

After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that all workers of Sierra Pacific
Industries, a subsidiary of Sierra Pacific Land and Timber,
including workers whose wages were reported under Seneca Sawmill
Company, Eugene, Oregon, are denied eligibility to apply for
adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended, and are also denied eligibility to apply for
alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section 246 of the
Trade Act of 1974, amended.

Signed in Washington, D.C. this 28th day of February, 2022


/s/ Del-Min Amy Chen
_______________________
DEL-MIN AMY CHEN

Certifying Officer, Office of

Trade Adjustment Assistance