DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-40,502
MIDCOM, INC.
HURON, SOUTH DAKOTA
AND

TA-W-40,502A
MIDCOM, INC.
WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA

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 eligi-
bility 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 separat-
ed;

(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 December 31, 2001, in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
all workers at Midcom, Inc., Huron, South Dakota and Midcom,
Inc., Watertown, South Dakota. The workers were engaged in the
production of transformers primarily used by the
telecommunications industry.
The investigation revealed that criterion (3) has not been
met.
The subject firm imports of transformers decreased in
February-November 2001 as compared with the same period of
February-November of 2000.
The investigation further revealed that the subject firm's
major customers have not decreased their purchases of
transformers from the subject firm during the period under
investigation.
On February 20, 2002, workers of Midcom, Inc., in Huron and
Watertown, South Dakota, were certified eligible to apply NAFTA-
TAA under petition numbers NAFTA–5669 and 5669A, based on a shift
in production of transformers from those plants to Mexico.


Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that all workers of
Midcom, Inc., Huron, South Dakota and Midcom, Inc., Watertown,
South Dakota are denied eligibility to apply for adjustment
assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Signed in Washington, D. C. this 12th day of March, 2002.


/s/ Linda G. Poole
______________________________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance