[Federal Register: October 19, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 203)]
[Notices]               
[Page 53250]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19oc01-109]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

[NAFTA-4461 and TA-W-38,601]

 
Arka Knitwear, Ridgewood, NY; Notice of Revised Determination on 
Reconsideration

    By letter of April 15, 2001, the company official requested 
administrative reconsideration of the Department's denial of North 
American Free Trade Agreement--Transitional Adjustment Assistance 
(NAFTA-TAA) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), applicable to 
workers of Arka Knitwear, Ridgewood, New York, The notice were 
published in the Federal Register on April 16, 2001, NAFTA-4461 (66 FR 
19522), and TA-W-38,601 (66 FR 19520).
    The workers are primarily engaged in the production of sweaters.
    The workers were denied NAFTA-TAA on the basis that there was no 
shift in production to Mexico or Canada, nor were there company or 
customer imports of sweaters from Mexico or Canada. The workers were 
denied TAA because the ``contributed importantly'' test of the Group 
Eligibility Requirements of the Trade Act was not met.
    The company has presented documents from major declining customers 
of the subject firm. This evidence shows that these customers stopped 
purchasing sweaters from the subject firm and began using Mexico and 
other countries to source their sweater purchases.
    An examination of trade data for women's and girls' sweaters 
reveals that from 1999 to 200, aggregate U.S. imports increased 
absolutely and relative to domestic shipments. In 2000, the import/
shipments ratio exceeded 200 percent.

Conclusion

    After careful consideration of the new facts obtained on 
reconsideration, it is concluded that the workers of Arka Knitwear, 
Ridgewood, New York, were adversely affected by increased imports 
(including those from Mexico) of articles like or directly competitive 
with sweaters produced at the subject firm.

    ``All workers of Arka Knitwear, Ridgewood, New York, who became 
totally or partially separated from employment on or after January 
12, 2000, through two years from the date of certification, are 
eligible to apply for NAFTA-TAA under Section 250 of the Trade Act 
of 1974;'' and
    ``All workers of Arka Knitwear, Ridgewood, New York, who became 
totally or partially separated from employment on or after January 
12, 2000, through two years from the date of certification, are 
eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the 
Trade Act of 1974.''

    Signed at Washington, DC this 28th day of September 2001.
Linda G. Poole,
Certifying Officer, Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
[FR Doc. 01-26357 Filed 10-18-01 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M