DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-39,163

BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY, INC.
DECATUR, ILLIONOIS

Notice of Revised Determination
on Reconsideration

By application of November, 20, 2001, the United Steel
Workers of America, Local 713 requested administrative
reconsideration regarding the Department=s Negative Determination
Regarding Eligibility to Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance,
applicable to the workers of the subject firm.
The initial investigation resulted in a negative
determination, based on the finding that imports of light truck
and passenger (radial) tires did not contribute importantly to
worker separations at the subject plant. The denial notice was
signed on September 25, 2001 and published in the Federal
Register on October 11, 2001 (66 FR 51973).
The applicant on reconsideration indicated that shortly
after their petition was filed, the company announced that they
would close the subject plant down permanently. The petitioner
further indicates that plant production will be replaced with
imported tires.



An examination of additional documentation furnished by the
petitioner and further review of existing information supplied by
the company during the initial investigation reveals that the
company increased their reliance on imported tires during the
relevant period.
Conclusion
After careful consideration of the new facts obtained on
reconsideration, it is concluded that increased imports of tires,
contributed importantly to the decline in production and to the
total or partial separation of workers at Bridgestone/Firestone
Tire and Rubber Company, Inc., Decatur, Illinois. In accordance
with the provisions of the Act, I make the following revised
determination:
"Workers of Bridgestone/Firestone Tire and Rubber Company,
Inc., Decatur, Illinois, who became totally or partially
separated from employment on or after April 30, 2000 through
two years from the date of this certification, are eligible
to apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the
Trade Act of 1974."

Signed in Washington, D.C. this 25th day of February 2002.


/s/ Edward A. Tomchick
________________________
EDWARD A. TOMCHICK
Director, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance


DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-39,163

BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY, INC.
DECATUR, ILLINOIS

Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974
(19 USC 2273) as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
Act of 1988 (P. L. 100-418), the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of an investigation regarding certification
of eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
In order to make an affirmative determination and issue a
certification of eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance,
each of the group eligibility requirements of Section 222 of the
Act must be met:

(1) that a significant number or proportion of the workers
in the workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision
thereof, have become totally or partially separated, or
are threatened to become totally or partially sepa-
rated;

(2) that sales or production, or both, of the firm or
subdivision have decreased absolutely; and

(3) that increases of imports of articles like or directly
competitive with articles produced by the firm or
appropriate subdivision have contributed importantly to
the separations, or threat thereof, and to the absolute
decline in sales or production.

The investigation was initiated on April 30, 2001 in re-
sponse to a petition filed on behalf of the workers at
Bridgestone/Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Inc., Decatur,

Illinois, by the United Steelworkers Association, Local 713.
The workers were engaged in activity related to the production of
light truck and passenger (radial) tires. The workers were not
separately identifiable by product line.
The investigation revealed that criterion (3) has not been
met.
The investigation revealed that import purchases of light
truck and passenger (radial) tires by the subject company de-
clined during the relevant time period.
The Department of Labor conducted a survey of the subject
firm=s major customers regarding their purchases of light truck
and passenger (radial) tires. The survey revealed no increased
customer import purchases of light truck and passenger (radial)
tires during the period of production and employment declines at
the subject company.


Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that all workers of
Bridgestone/Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Inc., Decatur,
Illinois, are denied eligibility to apply for adjustment assis-
tance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Signed in Washington, D.C. this 25th day of September 2001.
/s/ Linda G. Poole
______________________________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division
of Trade Adjustment Assistance