DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-41,633

SPECIALTY MACHINE COMPANY
GASTONIA, NORTH CAROLINA

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 eli-
gibility 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 separated;

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

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

The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
received on June 10, 2002, filed by the company on behalf of
workers at Specialty Machine Company, Gastonia, North Carolina. The
workers produced tool and die parts.
The investigation revealed that criterion (3) has not been
met.
The subject firm does not import tool and die parts.
The U.S. Department of Labor conducted a survey of major
customers of the subject firm regarding their purchases of tool and
die parts during 2000, 2001, and January through July 2002. The
survey revealed that none of those customers increased their
imports of tool and die parts while decreasing their purchases from
the subject firm during the relevant period.
A petition for NAFTA-Transitional Adjustment Assistance has
been filed on behalf of workers at the subject firm (NAFTA-6244).
A determination on that petition will be made concurrently with
this determination.
Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that all workers of
Specialty Machine Company, Gastonia, North Carolina, 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 September 2002.


/s/ Elliott S. Kushner
_____________________________
ELLIOTT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance