DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-41,963

PETERSON SPRING CORPORATION
THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN

Notice of Determinations 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 separated;

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

(3) that increases of imports of articles like or directly
competitive with articles produced by the firm or appro-
priate 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 August 19, 2002 and filed on behalf of workers and
former workers at Peterson Spring Corporation, Three Rivers,
Michigan. The workers produced coiled retaining rings primarily for
automobile transmissions; and, compression springs.
Workers engaged in the production of rings and compression
springs are separately identifiable.
It has been determined with respect to workers at Peterson
Spring Corporation, Three Springs, Michigan producing compression
springs that all of the criteria have been met.
Sales, production and employment declined during the relevant
period.
Company imports of compression springs increased in January
through July 2002 compared to the same period in 2001.
It has been determined with respect to workers at Peterson
Spring Corporation, Three Springs, Michigan producing coiled
retaining rings that criterion (3) has not been met.
The Department conducted a survey of the major customers of
the subject facility regarding their purchases of coiled retaining
rings in 2000, 2001 and January-July 2002. The survey revealed that
none of the respondents imported in the relevant period.
The investigation further revealed that import trade data
concerning "U.S. imports of iron and steel, threaded articles
similar to screws, bolts, nuts, coach screws & screw hooks, nesoi"
and "parts & accessories of motor vehicles, gear boxes" provided by
the petitioner involved product categories that were deemed too
broad or not like or directly competitive with coiled retaining
rings produced by the subject firm, and therefore cannot be
considered.
The petitioner further stated that a major customer of the
subject firm began purchasing finished transmissions from foreign
sources, rather than purchase parts from the subject firm. The
imports of transmissions is not "like or directly competitive" with
the parts produced by the subject plant and thus not relevant.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I conclude that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with compression springs produced at
Peterson Spring Corporation, Three Springs, Michigan contributed
importantly to the decline in sales or production and to the total
or partial separation of workers of that firm. In accordance with
the provisions of the Act, I make the following certification:
"All workers of Peterson Spring Corporation, Three Springs,
Michigan engaged in employment related to the production of
compression springs who became totally or partially separated
from employment on or after August 7, 2001 are eligible to
apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade
Act of 1974."
"I further determine that all workers at Peterson Spring
Corporation, Three Springs, Michigan engaged in employment
related to the production of coiled retaining rings are denied
eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance under Section
223 of the Trade Act of 1974."

Signed in Washington, D. C. this 18th day of November, 2002

/s/ Elliott S. Kushner
______________________________
ELLIOT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance