[Federal Register: June 8, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 110)]
[Notices]               
[Page 32051]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jn04-113]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

[TA-W-52,177]

 
Redman Knitting, Inc., Ridgewood, NY; Notice of Revised 
Determination on Remand

    The United States Court of International Trade (USCIT) granted the 
Department of Labor's request for voluntary remand of the negative 
determination on reconsideration in Former Employees of Redman 
Knitting, Inc. v. U.S. Secretary of Labor (Court No. 03-00848).
    The Department's denial of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for 
the workers of Redman Knitting, Inc., Ridgewood, New York was issued on 
July 29, 2003 and was published in the Federal Register on August 14, 
2003 (68 FR 48643). That investigation indicated that Redman Knitting 
produced knitted fabric, and there were no increased imports of 
articles like or directly competitive with knitted fabric by either the 
subject company or its customers, and no shift of production abroad 
during the relevant period.
    By letter dated September 2, 2003, a petitioner requested 
administrative reconsideration of the negative determination, alleging 
that imports of knitted sweaters adversely affected domestic production 
of knitted fabric. The Notice of Negative Determination Regarding 
Application for Reconsideration was issued on September 25, 2003 and 
was published in the Federal Register on October 10, 2003 (68 FR 
58716).
    The request for reconsideration was denied because a final product 
(sweaters) is not ``like or directly competitive'' with its raw 
material (knitted fabric) and, therefore, any increased imports of the 
final product cannot be used to certify workers producing the raw 
material. The Department also determined that the subject company's 
major declining customers are not TAA-certified, and that the subject 
worker group is therefore not eligible under secondary impact.
    In response to the petitioner's appeal to the U.S. Court of 
International Trade, the Department requested, and was granted, a 
voluntary remand.
    In the remand investigation, the Department requested from the 
company information about the article(s) produced at the subject 
facility, the plant production process, and additional customer 
information. A review of the information submitted during the remand 
investigation and previously submitted documents revealed that Redman 
Knitting, which was thought to have produced only knitted fabric, was 
in fact engaged in activities related to the production of knitted 
sweaters.
    Since it has been determined that the workers were engaged in the 
production of sweaters, a customer survey was conducted to determine 
whether imports of sweaters increased during the relevant time period. 
The surveyed revealed that the subject company's major declining 
customers increased their reliance on imports of sweaters during the 
relevant period.

Conclusion

    After careful review of the additional facts obtained on the 
current remand, I conclude that there were increased imports of knitted 
sweaters like or directly competitive with those produced at the 
subject firm, and that the increases contributed importantly to the 
worker separations and sales or production declines at the subject 
facility. In accordance with the provisions of the Trade Act, I make 
the following certification:

    All workers of Redman Knitting, Inc., Ridgewood, New York, who 
became totally or partially separated from employment on or after 
May 20, 2002, through two years from the issuance of this revised 
determination, are eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under 
Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 28th day of May, 2004.
Elliott S. Kushner,
Certifying Officer, Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
[FR Doc. 04-12886 Filed 6-7-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-30-P